


NCIS 2

by xhookswenchx (ReluctantPrincess)



Series: NCIS AU [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Crime, F/M, Family, Love, NCIS - Freeform, Romance, navy cops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-04-02 21:53:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 24,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantPrincess/pseuds/xhookswenchx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years after the case that brought them all together, Killian and Emma are nice and settled into their life, with their three (almost four) kids. Everything seems perfect, right? Sure, until they're facing a case that will turn everyone's world upside down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lzod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lzod/gifts).



> Starting off with a wedding and a baby! Hope you all enjoy!
> 
> This is for lzod, who asked about a sequel, and inspired me to get going! (Finally fixed the tagging problem. My phone kept autocorrecting me!)
> 
> I was going to wait until Beautiful Hell was done, but there's only two chapters left, so why not start early?

**Two Years Later**

Emma wasn't sure what was more challenging, wrangling an almost two year old, hellbent on escape, or keeping tabs on the mischievous older children. At eight and five, Henry and Adelaide were old enough to know better, but still young enough to find trying her patience amusing.

And all at a wedding, no less.

This was her life now: wife, mother, and badass NCIS agent. (Even though being almost ready to pop pregnant had her stuck on desk duty at the moment...she was still very much the same, ambitious agent she'd always been.) The family she'd been denied so long now surrounded her, and she loved every moment, even during the most trying times.

Killian had the silliest (and she'd be lying if she said she didn't find it sexy) smirk on his face, as he walked up to her, Adelaide slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and Henry, reluctantly trailing behind him.

“Did someone get caught?” She teased as Killian sat both the kids down. Neither looked happy.

“I'm bored,” Henry complained with a pout. Adelaide agreed wholeheartedly.

“Give me the butterball,” Killian laughed, taking a very squirmy Caleb from her. He didn't seem too thrilled about his capture either. Finally, he sat down next to Emma. “How are my girls?” He asked, placing a quick kiss to her temple.

“One is going for the UFC, the other is exhausted,” she said, “I'll let you figure out which is which.”

“Just a couple hours,” he said, “think you'll make it?”

“I'm thanking my lucky stars it's a small wedding,” she giggled.

Jefferson and Elsa had taken their time dating, but wasted no time rushing to the altar after getting engaged. Neither were big on huge ceremonies, so they opted for a small gathering of family and friends. Sure, their group had grown a little, with the addition of children, long lost brothers, and in-laws, but it was still the same patchwork family that chose each other.

“Sorry I'm late,” Liam whispered, rushing in and seating himself next to Henry. “Did I miss anything?”

“Not quite,” Killian said, “but latecomers get to wrangle rambunctious nephews.” He let Caleb down, (and boy was the kid pleased with _that_ development) and sent him off towards Liam, who barely managed to get ahold of the little blond.

“He moves fast for a porker,” he chuckled.

“Yes,” Emma mock scolded Killian and Liam both, “I'm well aware my kid has thunder thighs. But unlike you two, he'll grow out of it.” She shot them both a smug look before turning her attention back to the front.

Liam reached over and flicked her, but Killian opted to whisper into her ear instead. “Well, you're still sleeping with me, so I'm guessing you're into that sort of thing?”

She let out a loud laugh that had everyone turn to look at her. If she wasn't red before, she was _certainly_ red now, probably matching the dress she was wearing. Thankfully, the music finally started, and the attention went to the bride.

It was nice. Gracie happily strolled down the aisle with her stepmother. Jefferson looked absolutely elated as his family finally came together.

“Now we just need to marry _you_ off,” Killian informed Liam after the ceremony. His older brother responded with a roll of his eyes, and a refusal to comment.

Not ten minutes into the dinner party, everyone's phones started going off. Jefferson gloated about dodging the NCIS bullet, but David, Killian and Robin were on their feet, and saying goodbyes as they hurried off towards their next case.

Being called in on a Saturday? It _had_ to be a doozy.

Emma felt just a little left out and jealous. “Don't get too comfy in my spot, Jones,” she warned, “when I'm back on full duty, I'll want my team back.” He just smirked. Bastard.

***

It was well past midnight when Killian arrived home. He quickly checked in on the kids, then went to join Emma. He tried not to laugh out loud when he saw her, sprawled across the bed like she owned the place.

Quietly, he stripped down to his boxers and then attempted to find suitable real estate on the bed. Emma had spent so much time over the last few months _not_ sleeping, that he really didn't want to wake her.

Stealth seemed to elude him, however. The instant the bed dipped, her eyes were wide open. “Sorry, love,” he whispered.

“Not your fault,” she said. Her voice was strained, and it dawned on him. She wasn't asleep to begin with, just resting between contractions.

“You're in labor,” he said, suddenly in a panic. This baby may have been a bit more planned than the last one, but that didn't make him any less worried about his wife's well being. “Emma! How long? Why didn't you call me?”

The look she gave him would have killed a lesser man. “Around nine, and I didn't call, because it's still nothing. They're still too far apart.”

“What do you need from me?” He asked.

“Hold me?” She asked. It killed him how weak she sounded. She'd spent the whole day wrangling kids, and then had to deal with contractions, and he wasn't quite sure how she managed to keep her sanity.

“Okay.” He sat against the headboard and pulled her nto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Her head fell back onto his shoulder as she started to relax.

Just as her breathing started to even out though, another contraction hit, and she was grasping his hand like her life depended on it. About an hour later, he noticed they were definitely speeding up. She'd long since stopped counting, opting to try and sleep instead. “Emma, we're calling Liam, and going to the hospital.”

“I can hang on until morning,” she murmured, “let him sleep.” Caleb had taken his time to arrive, and according to Emma, Henry had too. It made sense that she would think it was going to be the same song and dance this time around. (Plus, she was so tired, she was past the point of making any kind of coherent thought.) He could tell though, this kid wasn't going to be a slowpoke. 

“Sweetheart, you're so far past exhaustion that you stopped counting about half an hour ago...you'll be lucky if you make it another hour.” He tried his best to keep calm, because the last thing he wanted to do was agitate a woman in pain. Unfortunately, she didn't think too much of his consideration.

“You think I don't know my own body?” She snapped, suddenly coming to life, “I'm sorry, _how_ many babies have you had? I think I'd know when I'm ready to-” she stopped, and then started crying.

“Emma?” He gave her hand a squeeze, “what is it? What's wrong?” It didn't take long to figure it out though, the evidence was everywhere.

“My water just broke,” she sobbed.

He could have said, “I told you so,” but he didn't. Instead, he just moved her, so he could get up and quickly throw on some dry clothes. “Just relax, love,” he said, “I'll call Liam and get everything ready, so all you have to do is get to the car.”

“Tell him to hurry,” Emma begged, “because I think you're right...I'm not going to be able to wait much longer.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babies, and cases, and exes, oh my!

They barely made it to the hospital.

Barely, as in Killian was pretty sure he was going to have to pull over and deliver the kid on the side of the road.

Thank god for small miracles.

“You can say it,” she said, an exhausted smile playing on her lips.

He knew what she meant. She was fully expecting an “I told you so.” He just chuckled and leaned down to give her a soft kiss.

Their newest little addition was sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms, as if she hadn't a care in the world. (As if she didn't cause a completely insane commotion at an ungodly hour.) Quinn was her brother's opposite. Instead of pin straight blonde hair and blue eyes, she had a mess of almost black waves, and eyes so green, they didn't seem real. (Just like her mother's)

“So,” Emma said with a little yawn, “must be a good case.”

“Really, love?” He raised an eyebrow, but it did nothing to deter her determination to weasel information out of him. Honestly, he expected nothing less from his Swan.

“How about, instead of pretending to scold me, you tell me what's going on, so I can assist you.” She never did like to take it easy.

“Need I remind you, that you nearly gave birth in the hospital parking lot?” He asked. “Simply because you insisted on waiting until the last possible moment-”

“There it is!” She exclaimed, startling the baby a little. “There's the 'I told you so' I was waiting for!”

He smirked as he lifted the baby out of her arms, “you _did_ say I could say it, love.”

“I know,” she giggled.

“And now look, you almost woke the baby,” he teased.

“Sit your butt down, and tell me what's going on, because you know I'm not going to sleep until I know.”

Well, she had a point, so he set the baby in her little bassinet, and pulled a chair over to the bed so he could sit next to Emma. “It was a bloodbath,” he said. Honestly, the case was a bit disturbing. The killer hadn't even bothered with neatness. Blood, guts and body parts were everywhere. That meant there was plenty of evidence to sift through, plenty of avenues to explore, and yet, they'd already found Dead end after dead end.

“It was complete overkill,” he said, even though by the description alone, it was obvious, “and there was a survivor.” He didn't want to bring up the little boy who'd managed to hide away during the carnage. The fact that they'd found him at all was a miracle. “They have him in protective custody. He's unharmed, but traumatized.”

“Who wouldn't be?” She asked.

“The kid won't talk,” he sighed. “Dave is certain he saw something...” It killed him to think about it. In fact, when he'd gotten home that evening, all he wanted to do was forget he'd ever seen such a haunted look on a child's face.

“How old?”

“Seven,” he said. Just a little bit younger than Henry, and that was probably what made it worse. It was the very reason he went to check on the kids before seeing her. Why he had to make sure each and every one of them was tucked in safely, and happily snoozing away. Henry and Adelaide had been through some hell, but neither had to witness the brutal murder of their family. God, it killed him. “They killed his father and grandparents...and he probably witnessed a lot of it.”

“We have to find this guy.” Of course she'd say that. That was just Emma, ready to take off on another adventure to take down another dirtbag.

“You _just_ had a baby,” he shook his head, “and therefore, out of commission. Why don't you let me take care of it?”

“Can you at least keep me in the loop? Let me help?” It was unconventional for sure, but not a completely outrageous request. She'd helped solve several cases from the desk over the past few months, what did it matter if the desk was now at home instead of at the office?

“Of course,” he agreed. “I'm guessing you'd prefer I return to work then?” They hadn't talked about it, but Killian just assumed he'd be staying home for a couple weeks, like he did with Caleb. But then again, when his son was born, they weren't knee deep in an ugly case.

“It's up to you,” she said. “I don't want you to go back if you'd rather stay. But, I also know how important it is for you to catch dirtbags.” Yeah, he was just as bad as she was.

“You wouldn't be mad?” He asked, “or overwhelmed?”

“It's the off season,” she said, “Liam can help.”

“He loves being voluntold to do things,” Killian snickered.

“We'll ask,” she said, “and Mary Margaret already offered to help. We'll be just fine.”

“I'm out today,” he sighed, “Dave didn't want all of us being worn out Monday, and obviously, sleep is going to elude me for a bit today, so I'd be bloody useless today anyway.”

Right on cue, Quinn started fussing.

***

The next day was chaotic, to say the least. Midday, they were able to leave the hospital and head for home.

When they walked in the door, Emma wondered how in the hell Liam was still alive. He and Caleb were knocked out on the couch, and it literally looked like they hadn't even planned the nap, and just collapsed from exhaustion. Adelaide was happily coloring in one of the three thousand books strewn across her little space on the floor, and Henry was playing some zombie game (at full volume) on the television.

“I think your brother's reached max capacity,” she giggled.

“Aye,” Killian agreed. “Henry? Could you turn the volume down?”

“How are Liam and Caleb sleeping through this?” She asked.

He shrugged, and continued down the line after Henry complied, (not without rolling his eyes.) “Addie, you only need one book at a time to color. Pick up what you aren't using.” Just like Henry, she rolled her eyes.

“You'd think they were actually related,” Emma said. It was scary sometimes, how similar their mannerisms could get.

God, the playful little smirk he gave her...why was every little thing he did a turn on? 

Jesus life could be unfair sometimes.

He raised an eyebrow, as if to question the sudden disgruntled look on her face. Quinn decided that now was the time to wake up.

The couch nappers, could apparently sleep through everything but baby wails.

Emma took the infant seat from her husband and made her way to the nursery, letting him deal with the tornado their now cranky toddler was going to unleash.

She listened to the chaos outside the door as she lifted her daughter out of the seat. “Get used to it, kid,” she cooed soflty, “there's never a dull moment around here.” She looked up when the door swung open. Killian had Caleb tucked under his arm like a football. (The kid seemed both amused and irritated all at once.) “Hey,” she tried not to laugh, “she needs a change, think you could spare a second to get a bottle while I take care of that?”

“Emma...” He sighed. It wasn't an exasperated one either. He was highly annoyed. 

“What's wrong?”

“Neal just pulled up,” he said. The doorbell rang, and she groaned. “What do you want me to do?”

It had been over a year since Henry had heard from his father, and even longer since the man made an actual appearance. He was ridiculously behind on his child support, (but that wasn't a new thing) and had bailed on so many visits, that the last judge didn't see why he should be granted any visitations at all.

So what the hell was he doing here now?

She hated asking Killian to deal with him. The guy was her problem, not his. But when the doorbell rang again, and Liam called to see if they wanted him to answer, she sighed. “Can you just see what he wants?”

Because whatever it was, it couldn't be good.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neal makes a few threats, (what else is new?) leaving Henry in a distraught state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the response so far! I am enjoying the sequel!
> 
> There are more twists and turns coming your way!

“I'll take care of it,” Killian gave her a quick kiss before making his way back out. He quickly passed off Caleb, (and had Liam take him and Adelaide to a different room. They didn't need to see this.) and then went to answer the door. Henry was already absent, and he couldn't blame the kid. He'd made it apparent long ago that he was done with his father. Quite an adult decision for a little lad, but Killian and Emma had decided to just give him space on the issue. He was hurt, and it was his way of lashing out.

He opened the door, and even though he'd dealt with Neal on several occasions, he felt completely unprepared. “Neal,” he nodded.

“I want to see my son.”

The statement made his blood boil. What right did he have to call Henry his son? “You mean the one you abandoned?”

“Just because you married my stupid ex, doesn't mean you can lecture me.”

If ever there were a good reason to punch someone, this was it. Still, he couldn't let the guy drag him to his level. It wasn't worth it. “Check your custody orders, mate. You have no right to just barge in here and demand to see Henry.”

“He's my son!” Neal shouted.

The straw broke, and Killian lost it. Who the hell did this guy think he was? Where had he been the past few years, and why the hell did he think it was okay to try and lay claim to the kid he was so hellbent on ignoring? “No! He's _my_ son! Emma gave you every opportunity to see him, to be a part of his life, and you chose to walk away. Meanwhile, I've been there for everything. You say he's your son, claim you love him and want him in your life, but _I'm_ the one who's showed him that he's loved and wanted. I know who his friends are, what he excels at, what he struggles with, what games he prefers, his favorite movies, his likes and dislikes, what terrifies him, and what comforts him. I've been to every school play, every baseball game, and _everything_ in between. I'm the one who tucks him in, who comes running when he has nightmares. _That_ is what makes a father, not your piddly donation nine years ago!”

“Why don't you let him decide if he wants to see me or not?” Neal growled.

“I don't.”

Killian turned around, and saw Henry standing behind him. “How long have you been there, lad?”

They made it a point to refrain from trash talking Neal in front of Henry. Both of them wanted to give the boy free reign to decide how he felt about his father, to let Neal's actions, and Neal's actions alone, speak for themselves.

“Henry,” Neal attempted to step forward, but Killian wasn't about to let him in the house. If Henry didn't want to talk to the man, he wasn't going to force him. “Don't you miss your dad?”

“I do when he goes to work,” Henry stated. Killian  _wanted_ to ask Neal if he wanted ice for the burn, but quickly decided against it. This didn't need to escalate any more than it already had. He'd just mentally high five Henry for the spot on sass.

Blended families weren't always easy, and even though Emma and Killian didn't run into too rough a time of it, there was still that niggling at the back of his mind that Henry might think he was trying to replace a parent he already had. So, he never overstepped, and tried his best to tred carefully on the more sensitive issues.

That was until Henry had asked if he could really be his dad. Because he “wanted a new one,” and his old one “sucked,” and Killian was the one who took care of him, so could he please just be his real dad?

How could he say no to that?

“He's not your real dad, Henry.” The words were laced with venom, and stung Killian right in the heart. They'd talked about it several times, bringing their family completely together. Paperwork had been started, and they both knew that while Emma would have no problem adopting Adelaide, Killian would have Neal to contend with. “Do you really think a piece of paper will change that?”

“You got served,” Killian realized as he turned back to the man he very much wanted to pummel into the ground. “That's why you're here.”

“Did you really think you could take my son away from me?” Neal asked. “You know I'm going to fight you on this.”

“Why now?” Killian countered, “why wait until now, when you have been given every opportunity for the past three years to be the father you were supposed to be?”

Neal ignored the question, and tried again to get into the house, only to be stopped by Killian. “Come on Henry,” he said, “you're only taking your mom's side because she made sure to keep you away from me.” Bastard!

“That's not true.” Henry stated.

“He's not an idiot,” Killian roles his eyes, “he knows damn well how hard Emma tried to get you to pay attention to him.”

“You'll like living with me,” Neal continued to talk past Killian, “Tamara's having a baby. You'd like a brother or sister, right?”

“You're not my dad!” Henry shouted, and Killian heard him take off running.

“You can't keep him from me forever,” Neal turned back to Killian and started laying on the threats. “When I'm done, not only will you not be able to adopt him, you and Emma won't even be able to see him!”

“Why would you do that to him?” It was an empty threat. His history spoke for itself, and no one in their right mind would give him anything. What the hell was wrong with this guy?

“You and Emma poisoned him against me,” he said, “and I'm gonna fix that.”

“You poisoned him yourself,” Killian growled as he slammed the door. As soon as he was sure Neal wasn't going to cause a commotion, he went looking for Henry. He knew that even though the kid ran off, that Neal's shouts had likely carried, and Henry had most likely heard the threats.

“Is he gone?” Henry sounded so small at that moment. Killian knelt down so he could be eye level with him.

“He's gone,” he confirmed.

“He can't take me away, can he?” Henry sniffled. Damn, so he _had_ heard it all.

Killian pulled him into a tight hug, “I am _not_ going to let that happen.” Even if Neal was the biological father, the evidence spoke for itself. Any judge with half a brain wouldn't give the man anything. Still, his threats meant there was quite the battle ahead.

He heard doors opening, as everyone started coming out of hiding. He knew if Henry heard, they'd all heard. The only two clueless ones, would be the babies.

“Hey,” Emma knelt beside him, and ruffled the boy's hair, “it's going to be okay.”

“But he wants to take me away!” Henry wailed. The kid was tough as nails, so to see him in such a state was heartbreaking.

“Daddy?” Adelaide's little voice was wavering as well. Dammit. How could one asshole have such an effect on all of them?

“It's going to be okay, sweetheart,” he said.

“Your dad isn't going to let anything happen to anyone,” Liam chimed in. Thank god for older brothers. The vote of confidence was reassuring.

“Why don't your uncle Liam and I take you two, and your little brother out for some ice cream?” Killian suggested.

“What about momma?” Adelaide asked.

“I'm tired,” Emma said, “and your sister is still getting settled. Why don't you just bring some back for me?”

“You know what?” Killian let go of Henry and smiled, “you haven't even seen Quinn yet. Why don't we go pay her a visit before we head out?”

“Can I hold her?” Adelaide asked, “you said I was big enough now!”

“You just have to be careful,” Emma agreed.

“I can,” she nodded.

Henry had remained silent, and while Killian understood, it was still unnerving. Standing up, he helped Emma back to her feet, and then clasped a hand on Henry's shoulder. “Everything will be fine,” he said, “I won't let anyone take you anywhere.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian deals with an angry family member. Things go wrong for Emma.

Monday morning, Killian found himself still in a state from Sunday's events. The day had calmed down, after a quick trip for ice cream, settling into a nice, quiet day at home with the family.

The kids were crazy over their new sister. Even though Caleb seemed a little irritated that she didn't do all that much.

“Let me guess,” David teased as he walked into the office, “Emma made you come in?”

“She didn't _make_ me do anything,” Killian rolled his eyes, “she simply hinted that she needed to live vicariously through me for the next few weeks.”

David laughed and shook his head. He knew exactly how Emma was, having worked with her long before Killian ever came on board. “How's everyone doing?” He asked.

“Fine,” Killian said. “Quinn's getting comfy, and the kids won't leave her alone. Can't say much for the sleeping situation though. I can't believe I'd forgotten how little babies sleep at night.”

“You'd think the memories would be ingrained after the first two,” his friend quipped.

“You'd think,” he chuckled.

If word about Neal had reached the Nolans, David didn't say, so Killian didn't bring it up. Instead, he jumped right into the case. They went over their list of victims, seemingly generic, the Pages, an older couple, and their son, Michael. Michael's young son, Cameron, was the lone survivor of the group. According to David, the boy still wasn't talking, despite the amount of counseling he'd received. “It may be a long time before he opens up,” David sighed, “and unfortunately, our killer, as messy as he was, left almost nothing behind for us to go on.”

“Where is he?” An angry brunette came storming into the office, Ruby Lucas trailing behind her.

“Hold on a moment, lass,” Killian held up his hand in an attempt to get her to slow down. “Who is it that you're looking for?”

“My nephew!” She shouted. “Cameron Page! I've been dicked around by your stupid lackeys all weekend trying to find him!”

Killian tossed a quick glance to David, who shrugged. Whoever this woman talked to, it wasn't any of them. “Let's have a chat,” he said, trying desperately to get the woman to calm down. “Come with me, we'll get you to your nephew.”

Suddenly, the woman stopped in her tracks. “Do I know you?” She asked, her anger replaced by curiosity.

“I'm fairly certain we haven't met,” Killian replied, “but I _will_ help you if you let me.”

The woman nodded, and he and David escorted her to an empty conference room.

Lily Page was Michael's older sister, and by extension, Cameron's aunt. As David and Killian talked to her, Ruby went through backgrounds, finding out how much of her story checked out.

“I haven't talked to my parents in years,” she admitted, “but Michael and I, we were close. Let me see Cameron, he knows me. I can take care of him. Don't make him go to his mother. She lost custody of him for a reason.”

“Do you know where we can find his mother?” David asked, “we've been looking for her all weekend.”

“Did you miss the part where I said she lost custody?” Lily rolled her eyes.

“It's not that,” Killian sighed. Zelena Miller was their first route on Saturday, but she seemed to not want to be found. “We have questions for her, and now, for you.”

There had been no pictures of Lily in the Page household that he could recall, and the only victim alive wasn't talking, so up until now, no one even knew a sister existed. Ruby came into the room, verifying that the story, at least the part about Michael having a sister, was true. Whether or not the part about being close was true, was open for debate.

“Give me a moment,” David said, glancing at Ruby and nodding towards the door.

Lily sighed after they left, “you don't believe me.”

“We have to be careful,” Killian said.

“You didn't even notify me,” she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. “I had to find out from the news...”

“I apologize for that,” he told her, “we didn't even know you existed.”

Lily nodded, “I can give you that...my parents hated me. I know they gave Michael shit too, for seeing me behind their backs. I was cut off a long time ago, but when he joined the Navy, he looked for me, found me, and brought me here. The only reason my parents lived with him, was because they were getting older, and he felt guilty, like, he had to take care of them.”

“Listen,” Killian said, “I can't guarantee you can just take him. There's quite the mess to sort out at the moment.”

“You need to keep him safe,” she nodded. “I know I came in here, guns blazing, but...he's the only family I've got left now. Can you keep me in the loop? Maybe point me in the right direction so I can try to get custody of him?”

“Aye,” he nodded, “I can do that.”

***

“Emma?”

Emma groaned a little before opening her eyes. It had been a pretty rough day. Liam had canceled on her, stating he had an emergency, and finally, around noon, she realized she was _not_ going to make it through the day on her own, so she called her best friend. “Hey...”

“Mary Margaret said you weren't feeling well?” He was leaning over her, brushing stray locks out of her face, a frown on his.

God, she hated it when he worried like that. She knew a part of him always would, and he was always especially anxious during her pregnancies and for a short time after. Good thing this was their last. The poor guy might have a heart attack if they had another. “I'm okay,” she assured him, reaching up to cup his cheek. “I missed you.”

Slowly, a small smile broke out and he leaned down to give her a kiss. “I heard the wanker canceled on you. Want me to destroy him?”

“Let him be,” she sighed, “he said something came up, and I told him I'd be fine. He's got a life, you know.”

“Aye,” Killian laughed, “and he's so bloody secretive about it, it drives me mad.”

“What time is it?” Emma asked.

“Just after six,” he said, “Mary Margaret is finishing up dinner. She said she'd stay a little longer if you needed it. What happened, love?”

“I just got overwhelmed, I think,” she said. “I was running around after the kids, and then Quinn was a bit fussy-”

“Do you need me to come home?” He asked, “I can stay home. Dave and Robin can handle the case, and they can bring Ruby on-”

“I'm fine,” she insisted. “I think I should get up now. I've left my poor friend with five kids for half an hour now.”

“Come on,” he smirked as stood up and pulled the blankets back. Instantly, his face fell, “Emma...you've been asleep for how long?”

“Less than an hour,” She started to sit up, feeling fairly dizzy as she moved.

“Lie down,” he said.

“What's wrong?” He shook his head, and she could tell he didn't want to startle her, but it was too late for that. She tried to sit up again, but he made sure she stayed down. “Killian, what's wrong?”

“You don't feel that?” he asked, “Emma, you're covered in blood.”

“What?” She shot up again, in a panic, instantly regretting the decision. Sure enough, she was covered. How in the hell had that happened in less than an hour? “God...”

“Lie down,” he said again. He left the room, and she knew he was on the brink of panic. (Hell, she was too.) When he returned, she could see that he had escalated to full on panic mode. “Come on,” he sat down and pulled her into his arms, “Mary Margaret is staying with the kids-”

“Dammit!” she shouted, “I'm covered in blood, do you really think I want to leave the house like this?” It was ridiculous, and she knew it, but good god, she didn't want to go outside looking like she'd been shot.

“Okay,” he said, “okay.” He set her back down, and got up to grab some blankets. “Let's be quick about this.” He wrapped her up, best as he could, lifted her up, and then rushed out to the car.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian finds himself in a familiar, and most unwelcome situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sorry about that cliffhanger...

“Killian!”

Killian turned to see both Liam and Robin rushing towards him. It had been less than fifteen minutes since they rushed Emma away, leaving him to nothing but his own depressing thoughts. He hadn't called anyone, because he didn't know anything. So how did his brothers find out?

Suddenly, it didn't matter. His eyes locked on Liam, and he was on the attack. “You told me you'd be there!” He shouted, not caring that everyone was watching him now. “You said you'd be there, and you just bailed on her!” He was crying, but again, he didn't care. Before he could throw a punch, he felt Robin grab him and pull him back. Before long, Liam's arms were around him, keeping him in a tight hug until the fight left him. “You promised!” He sobbed.

“Hey,” Liam said, “I asked if she was okay. Killian, if she said no, if she said anything was wrong, you know I would have been there in an instant.”

“You should have been there!”

“What difference would it have made?” Liam asked, “she had someone with her, remember? Had it been me, I probably would have done the same thing, sent her for a nap.”

“You went by the house?” He asked. The only way they would have known about the nap would be if they'd talked to Mary Margaret.

“How do you think we figured out you were here?” Robin asked. “Liam went by, found out what happened, and called me.”

“Oh...”

“Killian,” Liam sighed, “I was helping a friend this morning, but...if Emma had insisted she needed me...you know I would have dropped everything, right?” His grip loosened when Killian nodded. “I'm sorry-”

“Don't be,” Killian pulled away, then sat down, “you didn't do anything wrong.”

“I parked the car,” a new voice joined the mix, and it sounded vaguely familiar. “Did you find your brother?”

It dawned on him before Liam could answer. Killian turned in his seat and saw the woman who, only hours before, had stormed into his office.

“You're the brother,” she guessed. “I should have put two and two together.”

“You two know each other?” Liam asked.

“I'm working her brother's case,” Killian informed him.

“You didn't say NCIS was on this...”

“I told you my brother was in the Navy,” she said, “who else would it be?”

“I really don't want to do this right now,” Killian groaned, turning away and burying his face in his hands. This must have been the “friend” Liam had been helping. But what was he helping with? He didn't know NCIS was involved, so he couldn't have brought her in. What the hell had they been up to all day? 

Liam and Robin both took a seat on either side of him. Neither said a word, but they were there, and he knew they wouldn't leave until everything was okay.

Everything _had_ to be okay. He couldn't lose her.

They sat, for what seemed like forever, but in reality, it was probably only a couple hours. Someone finally came out to talk to him, and it took both Liam and Robin to get him to move. In all honesty, he expected the worst. When he was told she'd just gotten out of surgery, he blew his top.

“No one told me she was even going in!” He shouted. “It would have been nice to know what was wrong with my wife when you bloody figured it out!”

“Killian!” Liam put an arm around him, “we can worry about who dropped the ball later.”

A stammered apology, followed by a brief explanation did little to appease him. He needed to see Emma. Thankfully, he didn't need to make that clear. He was quickly brought back to her room. A couple nurses were hovering over her, fixing IVs, and checking her vitals.

He was terrified. No one looked to be in a panic, but Emma wasn't moving. When they finished up, they moved out of his way so he could sit next to her bed.

She was sleeping, he knew that, but the sight was unnerving. “Hey,” he whispered, taking her hand in his, “I'm here.” He fully expected her to sleep for some time, but surprisingly, she started to stir.

“Killian?” Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave his hand a squeeze.

“Aye,” he said.

“I'm sorry...” She turned her head to look at him, and he almost crumbled.

“You've nothing to apologize for,” he said.

“I shouldn't have made you go back to work,” she mumbled. “I knew it was going to be rough-”

“Emma, it doesn't matter,” he said, “you did nothing wrong. This probably would have happened whether I was there or not.”

“Apparently, your chunker of a daughter really jacked up the fetus hotel,” she said. It was an attempt to lighten the mood, and it worked. He started laughing as she continued. “I sure hope no one else was expecting a vacancy, because the place was leveled.”

“I hear the conditions were cramped anyway,” he smirked.

Emma became serious again after a few giggles. “They couldn't stop the bleeding, and they don't really know what went wrong...”

“But you're okay now,” he said, “that's the important thing.”

“You meant it, right? When we said no more after this one? It all happened so fast, and I didn't get a chance to talk to you, I just told them to fix it...but if you weren't serious...I mean...it _really_ can't happen now...”

“Love, you've given me far more than I'll ever deserve,” he said, “and your health is more important than any baby itch that could ever possibly come our way.”

“Guess you can cancel _your_ appointment now.” She was back to giggling.

Whoops. He nervously scratched behind his ear, and tried not to cower when she shot him a dirty look. “About that...”

“Really?”

“I chickened out!” He exclaimed, “and I had every intention of making the appointment...eventually...”

“You had nine months,” she laughed. “Were you just going to pray I didn't get pregnant again?”

“I was going to...” Well, what _was_ he planning on doing? “I don't bloody know,” he chuckled, “suggest you stay on birth control until I figured it out?”

“Both our children are medical miracles,” she teased, “because apparently, my husband has no balls.”

“And now, you've saved me the horrendous task of actually growing a pair,” he shot right back. “All that aside, I'm taking time off, whether you like it or not.”

“But, the case,” she frowned.

“Dave will keep me posted,” he assured her, “and I'm certain Liam will have some input now too.”

“What do you mean by that?” She asked.

“My wayward brother has been keeping quite a bit from me,” he grinned. He wasn't sure what the status was, but he was pretty sure Liam and Lily were _much_ more than friends.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma hates being waited on, but tries to take it easy. David and Robin need Killian on the case, and a deal is proposed.

Emma was not the type of person who liked being waited on, but she figured she'd put Killian through enough over the past couple days, so if he wanted to baby her, she wasn't going to argue.

Besides, having lazy mornings where she didn't have to worry about a thing? Yes, please.

The only thing she wasn't enjoying, was the quiet, and she couldn't help but smile when she heard the front door open, signaling her husband's return.

“Okay, love,” Killian said quietly, as he came into the room, “Henry and Addie are off to school, Regina insisted I drop off Caleb with her, and this one,” he lifted up the little bundle in his arms, “fell asleep in the car.”

“Bring her here?” She asked. She lost two days in the hospital, and yesterday evening, when they came home, all she could do was sleep. She missed her kids.

Killian nodded, and placed the sleeping infant next to her on the bed. “Would you like something to eat?” He asked.

“No,” she yawned. When he gave her a concerned look, she sighed. Yes, he was looking out for her, but it wasn't like she was starving herself. “I never eat this early,” she reminded him, “I'm not hungry yet. I promise I'll eat something a little later.”

“What do you need from me?” He asked.

“Cuddles,” she said, smiling as he climbed into bed and snuggled up beside her.

“Dave's coming by after work,” he said, “because we're both workaholics.”

“Sorry,” she sniffled, then wondered where the hell the tears suddenly came from, “I didn't mean to screw you over.”

“Screw me over?”

“Because instead of working this case, you're stuck taking care of your wife, and playing Mister Mom for the next couple weeks.”

“Hey,” he said softly, “I happen to love playing Mister Mom, and I'm over the moon when my wife actually lets me take care of her.”

“You're lucky I'm in pain, and don't have much of a choice,” she teased.

That seemed to alarm him, because she felt him sit up next to her. “You're hurting, then? Do you need your pain meds?”

“I'm fine,” she said. Quinn let out a little sigh, and she couldn't help but smile, “We make pretty cute kids, don't we?”

“Aye,” he kissed her cheek, “that we do.”

***

  
By evening-time, the house was chaotic again. Henry and Adelaide were home from school, Regina came by with Mary Margaret, James and Roland in addition to bringing back Caleb, and shortly after dinner, Robin and David showed up. Quinn was extra fussy, making it a bit difficult to listen to everything Robin and David had to say.

Killian really _was_ at his wits end. It had been a trying day, even with just the one kid, and Emma trying to insist she was just fine.

Not that he'd let on.

“Are you sure you don't want me to do that?” She asked, leaning a little on his shoulder, “I mean...feeding a baby isn't exactly strenuous.”

“I'm fine,” he chuckled, “and the arm rest is propping my arm up, so it's not like I'm working very hard.” He smirked at her when she let out a little snort. 

David started going through everything they knew about the case. (Currently, it was still just him and Robin. Ruby was tied up in some other mess of a case, and apparently, finding a temporary replacement was proving difficult.) Michael Page wasn't a man with many enemies. In fact, he only had one: His ex-wife, Zelena.

The woman had destroyed her Naval career over some scandal just over five years ago, and while she didn't do much time over the embezzlement, she did lose her family over it. Michael had left her not only over the criminal activity, but the string of affairs he'd found out about afterwards. The fight over their son, Cameron had turned into a heated custody battle that she'd lost miserably. Documents and a confirmation from Lily proved that she didn't even have visitation rights. They still couldn't find the woman.

A background check on Lily came back with mixed results. It was apparent the girl had a troubled childhood. Still, when they brought her in, she didn't hesitate to talk, and her record since entering adulthood, had been spotless.

Neither woman had a history of violence, but both hated the Pages. The only difference was, Lily claimed she got on well with her brother. Zelena hated them all.

“I've arranged a supervised visit between Cameron and Lily,” David said. “We can't just hand him over, but we _can_ see how he reacts to her.”

“Has the boy continued to remain silent?” Killian asked.

“Unfortunately,” David confirmed. “Doctor Hopper seems to be making some headway, but he's still refusing to talk.”

“You should go back,” Emma said.

“And just leave you to fend for yourself?” He shook his head. “No, I will not be going back just to come home to find you've fallen ill again.”

“I'm a big girl, Killian,” she protested.

He wasn't going to lie, he wanted to see this through, but not at her expense. “A big girl, perhaps, but still sick. How do you expect to keep control when you're knocked out cold due to your pain meds?”

He looked at his David and Robin, hoping they'd back him, and they did, but he could see it in their eyes. They were short staffed, and they needed him. Hell, wasn't that the very reason they'd come over in the first place? To get his input, because he wasn't there to offer it at work?

“I'm really not all that busy,” Regina offered, “with Roland in school, it would be easy for me to come by and help out.”

“Me too,” Mary Margaret chimed in. “And you know it's not a problem with me, because I managed all four of your kids, plus mine for two days with no issues. ”

“For that,” Killian smiled, “I am eternally grateful. But we all know that was an emergency, and this? This doesn't qualify as such. You both have your own families to worry about-”

“So we bring them here,” Regina said. “If we work together, there won't be any problems.”

“Big family dinners don't sound so bad,” Emma said.

“It would be irresponsible to leave my sick wife with our friends when I'm perfectly capable of taking care of her. It's even more irresponsible to do so, just so I can go chase down dirtbags.” Killian scowled. He could help from behind the scenes. The last time his wife insisted she was okay, she wasn't, and because he'd gone off to play cops and robbers, he'd almost lost her. That wasn't going to happen again.

“Killian...” He felt Emma pulling away the bottle that was now quite empty. He brought the now irritated baby (the kid sure loved her food...) up to his shoulder so he could get a belch or two out of her. “It's not irresponsible. What happened before, was not irresponsible either.” She knew him all too well. “I'm okay now, and yes, I need help during the day while you're gone, but what happened the other day? It's not going to happen again. The problem's been fixed-”

“And if there's complications?” He asked.

“We know what to look for,” Emma said. “Before, we were blindsided, I just thought I was overwhelmed. Now, I know exactly what's going on, I'll have at least one person with me at all times, who also knows what's going on, and I know you'll obsessively check in as often as possible. I can tell they need you. Mary Margaret and Regina wouldn't be trying so hard if they didn't think their husbands needed you.”

“One day,” Killian relented, “I'm giving you one day. If it all goes to hell, I'm coming straight home, and you two,” he shot a look at David and Robin, “can figure out how to get Ruby on the case.”

“Don't forget to keep me in the loop,” Emma leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

He never could say no to that beautiful, oftentimes infuriating wife of his.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian deals with a visitation, and learns just a little bit more about his brother's secrets.

Killian didn't leave until Regina and Mary Margaret were there, and he was sure Emma was okay. The three women had to practically boot him out the door.

He had to remind himself several times over his commute, that she would be fine, and that she would call him the second she wasn't. When he walked into the office, Robin and David were already there, with Lily, who seemed uneasy.

“What's wrong, lass?” Killian asked.

“I don't know what to say to him,” she answered.

Right. David had mentioned a visit, it should have dawned on him that they'd arrange it as soon as possible. “Well,” he said, taking a seat at his desk, “it's likely he won't even utter a word, so you'll be doing all the talking. The best you can do, is let him know you love him.”

“I took your advice,” she said, “I'm trying to get custody of him. I know it won't happen overnight, and it's going to be an uphill battle-”

“We found her!” Agent Lance Elliot came running into the office. Killian immediately started scowling. The guy was a good agent, but Killian just didn't like him one bit. (The fact that he had a thing with Emma at one point had nothing to do with it...not at all...) “Zelena Miller is in interrogation one.”

“Great!” Robin stood up, “Dave? I believe this is our department?”

“Let's go see what she's got to say,” David agreed, “Killian, you're okay with the visitation? Social services should be here in about ten minutes.”

“Aye,” he nodded, “I'm fine.”

“Need any assistance?” Elliot asked.

“No.” Killian narrowed his eyes, not even caring that his response was rude, and that he was letting his personal opinion of the guy dictate his reaction. Emma didn't care for the guy either, and the fact that he still tried to flirt with her, even when she was very obviously married (and quite happy, thank you very much) didn't win him any favors.

Elliot didn't try to argue with him, but didn't leave without a parting shot. “Tell Emma I miss her around here.”

“I'll be sure to let her know,” he shot back, “when I see her at home.”

Elliot sulked off, and Killian rolled his eyes. He wasn't really sure what the guy's deal was.

Lily snorted and smirked when Killian looked over at her. “You did the same chick, didn't you?”

“That ' _chick_ ' is my wife,” he growled, “I highly suggest you watch your tongue.”

“He doesn't seem to keen on holding his,” she said.

“He's a bloody idiot,” Killian sighed, then tried to return his focus to the task at hand, “so, before he came barreling in here, you were saying something about taking my advice?”

“Yes,” she said, “I don't want his mom to get her hands on him. He doesn't even like her, and she's done nothing but cause problems for him and Michael...” She lowered her head, “I still can't believe he's gone...they're all gone. I may not have cared for my parents, but they didn't deserve that. Cameron is the only family I have left.”

He could understand the crappy parent situation, after all, he was stuck dealing with Neal and all his ridiculousness. Then, there was the fact that his own father had walked out, and then, he lost a mother who never loved him. “We've yet to see a will,” Killian said, “do you know if he had one?” It was rare that he worked a case where there wasn't some sort of will on file.

“I know he did,” she said, “he mentioned it before his last deployment, but where he kept it, I have no idea. I'm assuming since you're unsure...”

“There's no record of it,” he nodded, “and therefore, he didn't use military services. Do you think there might be something he'd rather no one see until he was gone?”

“I don't know,” she shrugged, “maybe his ex, but she wasn't in the picture...at all. After she went to jail, he made sure to do everything he could to keep Cameron away from her. She'll try and get the kid, for sure, because she's not one to back down from a fight. She's tried several times to get him back, but according to my brother, she was tangled up in more than an embezzlement scandal.”

Killian frowned as he thought about it. The embezzlement, prison, and string of affairs were all he mentioned. Was there something they'd overlooked? He was about to question her further, but David's desk phone rang. “A moment,” he said, as he got up to answer it. After a brief conversation, he turned to Lily, “he's here.”

“I still don't know what to say,” she admitted.

“Just be there,” he told her, “he needs that more than anything right now.”

Lily just nodded, but still looked incredibly uneasy. Normally, he'd peg that as guilt, but there was something different about the way she handled herself. When they questioned her on Monday, she had mentioned just seeing her brother and nephew the Saturday prior to the murder. One week. It was a short span of time, but so much had happened in it. “Don't expect much,” he reminded her before leading her to the conference room the boy was waiting in, “he's been through hell.”

“Okay,” she sighed.

He was trying to prepare her for the worst, but when he opened the door, something completely unexpected happened.

“Hey kid,” Lily barely took a step into the room, and Cameron ran to her. The social worker just looked at Killian, obviously confused, and all he could do was shrug. Lily didn't hesitate to kneel down and pull the boy into her arms.

“I thought I'd never see you again!” He sobbed. Killian's eyes went wide with shock as the words tumbled out of Cameron's mouth. The social worker looked equally surprised.

“I'm here,” Lily assured him.

“Can I go home with you?”

“Not yet, kiddo,” she said, “but we're working on it.”

“We?” Killian asked.

“Yeah,” Lily let go of Cameron, and stood to face Killian, “Liam's been helping me out.”

“Liam's helping you?” Cameron asked.

“Yeah, buddy,” she smiled, looking back at the boy, “he misses you too.”

Oh, he was going to have a chat with his brother.

Right now though, Cameron was talking, and that was something they weren't sure would ever happen.

The rest of the visitation went smoothly. Once Cameron had opened up, some of the tension Lily had be carrying seemed to disappear. It would still be some time before they could flat out interview him, but it was a start.

When the day was finally done, he gladly went home.

What he returned to was beautiful chaos. Mary Margaret and Regina were working on dinner, Emma was talking to the baby, and Liam was buried under a pile of children.

As he should be.

He'd have to talk to his brother soon, because he needed to know exactly what was going on between him and Lily, and how well he knew Cameron. Hell, how well he knew the rest of the family as well.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Killian argue. David and Killian discuss Zelena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this little tangled web I'm beginning to weave!

“So,” Killian said, once the crowd was gone, and the kids were in bed. He plopped himself on the couch, between his brother and his wife (who were watching some ridiculous reality show about angry brides) and sighed. “Mind telling me what's going on between you and our victim's sister?”

“ _Really_?” Emma groaned, “the bride is about to throw a hissy fit, and you want to pry into your brother's love life?”

“Hissy fits are the best part,” Liam protested..

“I'm serious,” Killian rolled his eyes. Emma grumbled something as she hit pause on the remote.

“We've been seeing each other,” he shrugged, “so what? I don't have to tell you everything.”

“It would be nice to know whether or not my brother has a girlfriend,” Killian muttered, “I mean, we could have invited her to our barbecues and holidays!”

“You've been domesticated,” Liam chuckled, “of course you'd say something like that.” Killian frowned at him. “Look,” he said, “up until a couple weeks ago, we weren't all that serious. I didn't want to bring her around until I was sure. Especially with the kids...they're still young, and get quite attached to people.”

“But you'll go meet her family?” He asked.

“It isn't like that,” Liam explained. “I met Michael and Cameron first, when I took them sailing for the lads birthday a few months back. We got on, so we became friends, then he introduced me to his sister. I am allowed to have my own friends, aren't I?”

“You knew Michael Page?” Killian asked.

“We weren't best mates,” Liam said, “he had his own little group of pals he hung around with, but we'd go out for the occasional drink or two.”

“He must have thought highly of you if he introduced you to his sister.” Emma suggested.

“Forget about that,” Killian frowned, “why didn't you say something the other day?”

“Unmm...your wife was in the hospital?” Great, now he'd put his brother on the defensive. “Then, I didn't even know it was an NCIS issue. Lily had just told me about the murder, and that she needed some help with getting custody of her nephew. The moment I found out everything was related, you were a bit distraught, so excuse me if I decided it wasn't as important as making sure you were okay!”

“Guys,” Emma cut in, “come on. This is ridiculous, and you know it. There's no need to get all bent out of shape and argue over something that's over and done with.”

“Over and done with?” Killian growled, “the case is still open!”

“Hey!” She shouted, “don't yell at me! I'm not talking about the case, I'm talking about the fact that you're getting angry over something that is insignificant.” He started to tell her it _wasn't_ insignificant, but she shushed him. “Liam is allowed to have a life, just like everyone else. What should or shouldn't have been said...it doesn't matter, because there's no changing the past. It's been said now, so that, should be the end of it. Jesus, Killian. Liam's friend just died, and all you can do is argue how you've been slighted?”

“Sorry.” Killian sighed, “I'm sorry. I...wasn't thinking...” He felt every bit of the ass he was.

“You're worked up,” Liam said, his own temper seeming to calm. “I wasn't keeping anything from you simply to keep it from you. I meant it when I said I knew nothing of your case when I met you at the hospital that night. It wasn't until Lily recognized you, that I even put it all together. As for Lily, like I told you, I didn't want to bring someone new around the children until I was sure. Before all this nonsense started, I was planning on telling you after you'd gotten all settled with the baby. She wanted to meet my family. _I_ wanted her to meet my family. It was time. But...”

“Everything went to hell,” Killian finished.

“She was with me when I came by to see you...when we found out about Emma...” Liam frowned, “I didn't intend for you to meet her that way, but what was I going to do, drive her home when I was already in a rush to get to you?” Well...he had a point.

“Are we okay now?” Emma asked. The look she gave him told him he'd better keep his mouth shut if he had any more stupid remarks to share. (He didn't.)

“Aye,” both he and Liam answered. 

***

Zelena Miller was a right pain in the ass. They had to let her go the day prior, because there had been no legal grounds to keep her. Nothing pointed in her direction, so their hands were tied. David seemed the most upset about this development, because he was certain she wasn't innocent.

They were _all_ pretty certain she wasn't innocent.

“So,” David sighed, obviously put out that he was unable to find any other reason to haul Zelena back in. “I guess it's a race between mother and aunt now.”

“Didn't you find it odd that she showed almost no concern for the boy?” Killian asked. He'd gone over the recording, and found it quite disturbing. She seemed completely unaffected by the events, and she didn't even ask about her son. (Except to see if she could stop paying child support...She was like the female version of Neal.) “I don't think she's going to fight for him.”

“Unless she's the type to do things just to make others miserable, which, I'm pretty sure she is,” David said. “Speaking of which, Mary Margaret said Neal showed up the other day?”

“Aye,” Killian groaned, “and he's determined to fight me, simply out of revenge. He's got no love for the boy otherwise, he just knows that losing him would hurt me and Emma. Right for the jugular.”

“He's got no leg to stand on,” David reminded him.

“I know,” he nodded, “but he's bloody delusional, and wouldn't think twice about causing problems.” Neal didn't care who got hurt, even if it was Henry. “I still can't believe he thought it was a good idea to have another...”

“His girlfriend is pregnant? Or...is she his wife now? It's the same girl, right?”

“It sounds like the same girl,” Killian shrugged, “Tamara? As for the rest, I don't know if it was planned, or if he's just an idiot.”

“Well, we _know_ he's an idiot,” David laughed.

“There is that,” he nodded, “I was hoping when he disappeared, that he'd stay away for good, but now that he's back, and insisting on being a bloody wanker, I'll just have to do what I can to protect Henry from the fallout.” That was the main thing, to keep Henry from getting hurt. With Neal so intent on trying to muscle in, heartache was bound to happen.

“Do you think Zelena will have the same MO?” David asked.

“She did seem a bit delusional,” Killian said, “and she had no love for any of the Page's.”

“But she's got no blood on her hands...in the physical sense, anyway.” David leaned forward in his chair when his computer dinged. “I _know_ she's got something to do with it though.”

“Do you have something, mate?” Killian asked.

“Bank records,” David said, clicking through his files, “I may have been able to cut through some red tape, and her account may be frozen for the time being.”

“Which one?” Killian asked. “Surely she's got at least two.”

“Checking and savings,” he said, “but as delusional as she is, she's not stupid. There has to be money going elsewhere under a fake name. We just need to figure out what that is.”

“Oz.” Robin burst into the office. “Walsh Oz is the man were looking for.”

“What the bloody hell kind of name is that?” Killian asked.

“A stupid one,” David said, “and obviously fake. Any leads?”

“Not much,” Robin admitted, “he's got a business downtown though.”

“Well then,” Killian stood and grabbed his gear, “what are we waiting for?”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys hit what seems to be another dead end. Killian deals with the green eyed monster as he tries to wrap his mind around a new development in the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So I am back from Steveston! Working on getting an online album put together for those who are interested. I pretty much fell in love with the little village, and the spawn and I have decided we not only need a summer home there, but we need to spend plenty of winters there as well. (Both of us are die hard hockey fans...)

“The Wizard of Oak?” Robin made a face as they approached the shop. Killian found the name a bit ridiculous as well, just like its owner. Upon closer inspection, the shop seemed abandoned.

David groaned in frustration as he tried the door. Of course it was locked. He knocked, announced himself, and knocked some more.

“Dave,” Killian stopped him, “no one's home.”

Red tape would be all over this one.

“Dammit!” David growled.

“I know, right?” The three of the turned to see a young man approaching. “I put a deposit down on an end table a week ago, and the bastard just took off with my money!”

A quick look at the man, and Killian knew the guy was not only pissed, he was planning on doing something about it. “You might want to think twice about what you're planning, mate,” he warned.

“There is perfectly good furniture left in there,” the man said, “and I am getting my money's worth. You should too. I mean, you're here, pounding on the door, I can only assume he stiffed you too?”

“Not quite,” David said, “we're looking for him...for more...legal reasons.” The three of them exchanged amused looks as the newcomer realized what they were trying to tell him.

“Cops,” he nodded, “look, I didn't do anything-”

“At the moment, your intentions aren't on our radar,” Robin stated, “just don't follow through, and you'll be fine.”

“Perhaps you can help us?” Killian suggested, “when did you see him last?”

The man looked as if he were thinking about taking off. Killian definitely wasn't in the mood to chase him either. Knowing his partners though, they'd take off after the guy, and he would have to follow. Finally, the man sighed, “last week. I ordered my end table a month ago, then, last Friday, I came to the store to ask about it. He said it was almost done, and to come back Monday, but by Monday, he was gone. I've been back every day since, and no one's returned.”

So, the day before the murders. It was now Friday. Walsh had almost a week on them. “Bloody hell,” Killian muttered.

“Can you describe the guy? Maybe his car?” David asked.

“Tall, skinny guy,” the man said, “looked more like a flying monkey than a wizard.” Ah, so their thief of a friend picked up on the Oz reference. “As for his car,” he pointed to a rather beat up looking Mercury Sable in the lot in front of the strip of stores. “That purple beast is his. Been here since at least Monday.”

Aha. A quick run of the license plate would give him the answers he needed. He took pictures as he listened to David get more information from their informant. “We should take the car,” he heard Robin say.

“We'll keep eyes on it,” Killian said, “we've got no legal reason to take it.” He wanted to take the car, but truly, all the knew was that Walsh and Zelena were connected. There was no evidence that Zelena had anything to do with the murders, and the only thing connecting her to Walsh seemed to be a large sum of money.

Granted, the money could have been for anything, but it was the suspiciously fake name, and now, the odd disappearance of the furniture salesman.

***

_Emma Swan._

Killian couldn't believe his eyes when the name on the registration popped up. Granted, the registration had long since expired, and when they went back to retrieve the car, they checked over the tags. The stickers didn't come back stolen, but it was obvious they were, because they came back to a completely different vehicle. (People rarely even noticed their plates missing...how many would take notice of a little sticker?)

Still, Emma had owned the car at one point, so, Walsh must have had an excellent driving record, because there had been no notices of parking tickets, moving violations, or anything of the sort. Then again, her name and address had both changed, so maybe...depending on how long ago she'd owned it...

Did she know the guy? Did she know Zelena? When he mentioned Cameron's mother the other day, she didn't act like she knew her. It didn't seem like she was hiding anything either.

Frustrated, he opened the door, and stepped into what looked very similar to a war zone. Henry and Adelaide were tearing around the house after Caleb, who was giggling like a madman. Each of them made a quick pit stop to say hello and give him a hug before returning to their game.

Emma had been through so much over the past week...he didn't want to bother her with something like this. But his own curiosity needed to be satisfied.

“You're such an idiot!” He heard Emma exclaim from the kitchen, followed by giggles.

When he rounded the corner, he saw Emma and Liam teasing and joking over a pile of dishes. Liam looked drenched, and Emma's hair was full of suds.

That was _their_ thing. Who the hell did his brother think he was? 

“How in the bloody hell do you two get any dishes done around here?” Liam chuckled.

“Not by flirting with my damn brother,” Killian stated. The fact that it came out of his mouth at all shocked him, but he couldn't help but see this as an intrusion. (Even if it _was_ just dishes...) First the car, then the fact that she might be hiding something about Zelena, and now...she was being completely domestic with his brother?

Emma turned around and immediately, he was hit with water from the sprayer. “Stop being a jealous idiot, and join us,” she teased.

“Where are Mary Margaret and Regina?” He demanded.

“Doing a little shopping for tomorrow's indoor cookout,” Emma raised an eyebrow, “what the hell is your problem?”

“Does the name Walsh Oz ring a bell?” He growled. He shouldn't be angry. He had no right to be, and the look on her face said that “Walsh Oz” was probably the last name she wanted to hear.

“Walsh...what?” She shook her head, “I cut ties with him a long time ago. Where the hell did you see him, and how does he even know about us?” The panic in her voice almost slipped by unnoticed, but it was there. 

“What was he to you?” He couldn't get over the jealousy that seemed to be taking over. It shouldn't matter, but for some reason, it did. What was it about the guy that had her unsettled? Did she know something?

“An ex I'd just as soon forget,” she frowned. “I think I hear the baby.” As she stormed out of the room, she made sure to knock Killian back as she pushed past him.

“Now don't you feel like a bit of an ass?” Liam scolded. “She's your wife, Killian. Why the hell would you come barging in here with accusations?”

“Why the hell were you flirting with her?” Killian growled.

“Oh hell,” Liam rolled his eyes, “she's my bloody sister! We were just having a bit of fun, like we always do! What's going on with you lately? You're flying off the handle over ridiculous nonsense!”

“It isn't nonsense!” Instant regret settled over him after he said it.

“It is, and you know it,” Liam stated. “Dammit Killian, that woman loves you more than anything. She'd never do a damn thing to hurt you, and that's exactly what you're insinuating she's doing! You're lucky she didn't slap you, or worse, pack her bags. She just had a baby, has been going through hell, and the last thing she needs is to deal with your shit.”

Suddenly, he felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. Liam was right. Lately, he'd been so wrapped up in everything, that he was jumping to conclusions and flying off the handle. Now, he'd gone and insulted the one woman he loved more than anything.

“She's never going to forgive me...” He sighed. “And why should she?” She had every right to hate him for the things he said. How much further would he have taken it if she hadn't stormed off? 

“She loves you,” Liam reminded him, “I've no doubt she'll forgive you, but you'd best be quick about groveling for mercy.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian begs for forgiveness, then refuses to forgive himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get back into the swing of things. I had a terrible week last week, and this week has been busy with my kid in band camp, impending start of my own classes, and three fics I need to catch up on! (After this, I have another Piano Man by the end of this weekend, and then Stardust hopefully next week.)
> 
> So, thank you for being patient. Really. I appreciate it.
> 
> Also, if I've missed any comments, forgive me. I'm still catching up.

If Killian didn't feel like an ass before, the sound of his wife sobbing uncontrollably did him in.

Why in the hell had he overreacted? All he wanted was to learn about the car. When did it turn into a jealous rage? He knew there was no reason whatsoever to question her, especially not over his damn brother.

“Emma?” He didn't move to sit next to her, opting instead to stand in the doorway. There was nothing he wanted to do more than hold her, but he knew his affection was very much unwelcome at this point.

“Fuck off.” She didn't even look up, her words muffled by her sobs, and the fact that her face was buried in a pillow, but there was no doubt about what she'd said.

Killian sighed. She wanted space, he got that, but he also couldn't let this linger between them. “I deserve that,” he said softly, “I know I'm the last person you want to see...”

“I said fuck off.”

She wasn't going to forgive him. It stung, but it was her right, and he definitely couldn't blame her. “I'm sorry,” he said, fully ready to admit defeat, but still wanting to apologize. “There's no excuse for the words that came out of my mouth. I...don't know what came over me...”

Emma sat up, and the sight of her red-rimmed eyes had him reeling. _He_ did that to her. “Do you really think that about me? That I'd screw around behind your back?”

“Hell no!” He exclaimed, without the slightest hesitation. “I just...I don't know what the devil is going on with me. This case...it's frustrating, and...” What else was he supposed to say? He couldn't blame the case for his poor behavior. But the fact remained, that it was stressing him out, and coupled with all that he and Emma has been through over the past week, he was at his wits end. “I'm on edge, and that's no excuse, but it's taking its toll on me.”

Her expression changed from cold, angry, and unforgiving, to something softer, almost sympathetic. “What happened?” She asked, “what happened today that had you so worked up?”

Good lord, not only did it seem like she was willing to forgive, she was offering him a seat next to her. With a heavy sigh, he sat, and resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her and never let go. But she demanded answers, and ones she had every right to know. “We found out today that Walsh has a connection to Zelena.”

“The victim's ex-wife?” Emma asked.

“Aye,” he nodded. “So we went to his shop, The Wizard of Oak-”

“He still runs that place?” She asked.

“Apparently not, it's been vacant for at least a week.” He frowned, no longer wanting to ask about the car, but knowing he had to. “His car was there,” he continued, “and...it was registered to you...”

“Me?” She asked.

“Did you ever own a Mercury?” He asked.

“Killian, I've owned two cars my entire life. The bug, and now the minivan.”

 _That_ added a whole new mystery to uncover. “How long were you with the guy?”

“Eight months,” she said, “and believe me when I say I'm surprised it lasted that long. Do you want all the gory details?”

She'd tell him if he asked, of that, he was certain. But it wasn't necessary. They both had pasts, and they'd both left them behind. They didn't need to discuss every ex or tryst in explicit detail. “No,” he said, “and I'm sorry. Truly. When I walked in that door, all I intended to ask you about was the car.”

“I never owned it,” she said.

God, he felt terrible.

“He stuck around,” she continued, “and...there was something about him that wasn't quite right. Like, one minute, I thought everything was fine, and that I should introduce him to Henry, then the next, things would get weird.”

“Weird?” He asked.

Emma hesitated, but before he could wave off the question, she spoke again. “Just...like...I had this feeling that there was something else going on. I could tell he was lying when I'd ask him simple things, like how his day was. I finally broke it off, he wasn't happy about it, but he disappeared without a fuss. I thought I'd seen the last of him.”

“I'm sorry,” he said again.

“Let's forget it,” she said, and he was quick to pull her into a hug. She was still tense, but she relaxed a bit, and wrapped her arms around him.

“It won't happen again,” he promised.

“I know,” she whispered.

“I don't deserve you.”

“Stop it,” she looked up at him, and gave him a little smile, “we're both allowed to be stupid now and then.”

She may have forgiven him, but he wasn't going to stop trying to make up for his idiocy.

***

Indoor cookouts were a tradition during the colder months. The Jones residence wasn't small by any stretch of the imagination, but with the amount of guests they had (plus the fact that the children were running around like crazy) made things just a little cramped.

Jefferson and Elsa had returned from their honeymoon, and had Grace, Anna and Kristoff in tow. Regina and Robin had brought Roland, and Mary Margaret and David arrived with James. Liam, surprisingly, showed up with Lily, who had Cameron with her.

“They're working with me,” Lily had said, “and I get to have him this weekend.”

It was close to being a conflict of interest, but she wasn't a suspect, and the guys saw no harm in it. Besides, after the hell Cameron had been through, he deserved a break.

“What's going on?” Lily asked. Dinner was long forgotten, and the kids were off playing in Henry's room, (Cameron included. Emma was glad he was having a good time.) leaving the women to watch as their boys set up the card table.

“Poker, I'll bet,” Regina said.

“In the summer, we play war,” Emma explained, “But with the weather being so chilly, our indoor cookouts usually end with a poker game.”

“Well, that sounds like fun!” Lily grabbed her soda and sat next to Liam after he grabbed her a chair. Regina, Elsa and Anna joined suit with no hesitation. Emma was about to follow when Quinn demanded to be seen to.

She excused herself, then disappeared into the nursery. Quinn seemed pretty worked up, so Emma decided to give everything a try. (Deciphering Quinn's cries was still a challenge.) Just as she was finishing up with the diaper, Killian wandered in, bottle in hand.

“Hey,” she smiled at him, “you didn't have to do that. Go play.”

“A man can't help his wife out?” He teased, as he reached for the baby. She handed Quinn over, but she knew he was acting out of guilt. Not that he wasn't the helpful type, but he had been extra helpful all day.

“Killian...” she sighed, “You have to forgive yourself.”

“No, I don't.”

He wasn't a perfect man, there was no such thing, but he was so damn close to it that it killed her to see him put himself down the way he did. “People argue-”

“They don't make accusations like I did!” He snapped. Quinn fussed a little when the bottle popped out of her mouth, but Killian righted it before she could start wailing. “See? Now I've upset the baby.”

Emma didn't know what to say. Yes, his accusations stung, but once she realized what was really going on, she understood that it wasn't really him saying those things. That didn't make them hurt any less, but knowing he didn't mean them...it helped. “It's over,” she reminded him, “I forgave you.” Before he could tell her she shouldn't have, she gave him a quick kiss, doing her best not to disturb the baby. “I love you.”

He gave her a small smile. It was a start. “I love you too,” he said.

Quinn finished off the last of her bottle, and Emma giggled, “Now, burp that baby so we can get in there and start kicking ass.”

“As you wish,” he chuckled.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Court hearings, and identity theft...

The weekend had come and gone, and before he knew it, Killian was facing a dreadful looking Monday.

It started with their court hearing, and surprisingly, even though Neal showed up, his history, just as Killian predicted, spoke for itself. Still, even though everything worked out in their favor, there was still the threat of retaliation. If the look on Neal's face was any indication, a war was brewing. The man was not going to go away quietly.

Henry, however, seemed more than happy with the turn of events, and Killian was relieved he was able to keep his promise to his son.

 _His_ son.

Completely.

Not only had Neal lost any claim of custody, he'd lost the boy in name too. There was a certain heartbreak that went along with that. For quite some time, Killian had truly hoped the boy's father would step up and be the parent Henry deserved. He never set out to replace Neal, or take Henry away. But the more Emma tried to get Neal into the picture, the more Henry seemed to hurt.

The last thing Killian ever wanted was for Henry to be in pain. He still remembered the night vividly, when Henry asked if he could trade dads. It almost killed him. How could he say no? So, when Emma set out to adopt Adelaide, he started the papers for Henry, knowing it would be a fight, but that it would also be worth it.

“Do you have to go back to work?” Henry asked after they'd gotten into the car, breaking him away from his thoughts.

“Unfortunately, lad,” he sighed, “I promised David and Robin I wouldn't leave them hanging. But, we'll celebrate tonight, when everyone comes over. How does that sound?” The boy looked so defeated, and it ripped Killian's heart in two.

“But who's gonna take care of mom?” He argued, “Because, it's just her, and Regina and Mary Margaret, and she's got all of us to look after. What if...” he frowned, “what if he comes to the house when you're not there?”

“Is Henry's old dad gonna come after us, daddy?” Adelaide asked.

“You two don't need to worry about that,” Emma said. She tossed Killian a nervous glance, and he knew she was anxious too. Not that she didn't have good reason to be. The man had made some pretty horrendous threats when he waltzed back into town, and if there was one thing he knew about Neal Cassidy, it was that the guy didn't back down without a fight.

“Your Uncle Liam promised he'd watch after you while I'm away” Killian assured them, “everything will be fine.”

Personally, Killian was prepared for a war, but he also didn't want Neal's antics to distract him. His family was one, at last, and that was what was important to him. He looked over at Emma as he started the car up, and gave her a smile. Things were looking pretty damn good at the moment, and he wasn't about to let anything bring him down.

***

After dropping everyone off at the house, and giving Liam a rundown of the day's events, Killian headed back to work.

He was met with a new twist when Robin informed him that a lead had taken them straight to Lily. It was unnerving, because up until now, nothing had pointed in her direction.

Liam was going to have his head if they didn't clear this up.

“Elliot's with her,” David explained, “because now we're too close to everything, and they can't expect us to remain unbiased.”

“She didn't do a damn thing, and you know it,” Killian said. Even if they'd started on the wrong foot, Lily was not a bad person. In fact, she was far from it. While it was true he didn't know her all that well, he _did_ know his brother, and Liam was an excellent judge of character.

“I know,” David said, “we'll fix this. Someone is obviously trying to throw us off.”

“I've got a bit more on that Oz fellow,” Robin chimed in, “seems he's been flying under the radar for some time. How did you manage to buy your home with Emma's credit being so terrible?”

“I bought it before we started living together,” he reminded him, “she didn't move in for another couple of months after that. We haven't had a need to refinance or anything, so nothing's changed.”

“And you haven't gotten anything from creditors?” David asked, taking a look at everything Robin had pulled up. “Damn, Jones...this looks pretty bad.”

Curious, Killian went over to look at the information Robin had pulled up. Sure enough, there were links to Emma's information, both financial and otherwise. A couple cars in her name, credit cards, and even co-ownership of the shop Walsh had abandoned. “How in the bloody hell have we not been notified of any of this?”

“He probably hid it while they were together,” David suggested. “I'll bet she's not his only victim, either.”

“Did you know him?” He asked.

“No,” he answered, “she was seeing someone right around the time I met her, and by the time I was helping her get into NCIS, the relationship was pretty much done. I'm only guessing this is the same guy, because the timeline adds up."

Creditors had never hassled them, and he was pretty sure Emma would have known (and told him) if she was co-owner of a business. “Look...” He said, “everything seemed fine until about a year ago.”

“Explains why nothing came up in backgrounds,” David mused, “and it looks like he didn't outright buy anything in her name.” The credit issues were all recent, it seemed. “It seems like he was just using her name to hide shady dealings and property.”

“What about _his_ credit?” Killian asked.

“It's a bloody mess,” Robin informed him, “and has been for years. Which is likely why he started using Emma's information. Unfortunately, we only figured this out because we found the car. Heaven only knows who else he's screwing over.”

Killian's phone rang, tearing his attention away from the screen, “it's Emma,” he said, stepping away to answer. “Everything all right, love?” He didn't want to panic unnecessarily, but after all that had happened, it was his first instinct.

“Yeah,” she said, “I'm fine, kids are fine...” Something wasn't fine. He could tell by her tone.

“What's wrong, sweetheart?”

“Did you guys arrest Liam's girlfriend?” She asked.

“I did not,” he said, “and she's not under arrest.”

“He's really upset,” she said.

“She'll be fine,” he assured her, “it just seems she's caught in the middle.” There was only so much he could say, and he certainly couldn't give case details to his brother. “Just tell Liam that I'm taking care of it.”

“Okay,” she agreed, “but there's something else.”

“What?”

“Do you know anything about Walsh's shop?” She asked, “because I'm starting to get calls about it.”

“Another thing we're working on, love,” he sighed, “it seems Walsh has been using your name for more than cars.”

“Wait...what?” She asked, “we broke up years ago...how would he even know-”

“Your old name,” he said, “and whatever bogus address he used seems to have prevented you from finding out.”

“Really?” She groaned, “score one for incompetent creditors. I can hear it in your voice. We aren't making any big purchases any time soon, are we?”

He laughed at that, “he's really done a number on you. It looks to all be within the last year or so, we'll get your report and weed through it.”

“I guess I should have listened when people told me to run that thing yearly,” she sighed, “but I never had any problems...”

“It's fixable,” he said. “We'll talk when I get home?”

“Okay,” she agreed, “love you.”

“Love you too,” he replied, before hanging up. He looked back at his partners, “the hassling has begun. I'm assuming Walsh's abandonment of the shop, and subsequent disappearance has got his financiers a bit worried.”

“This is good,” David decided, “maybe we can smoke him out.”

“Gentlemen?” Elliot stepped into the office, “I've been grilling your friend for a couple hours now-”

“Is that really necessary?” Killian asked.

“You know it is,” Elliot countered, “you've interrogated enough people to know how this works.”

“She didn't do anything!” He shouted.

“I know!” Elliot shouted back, “can you hear me out?” When Killian gestured for him to continue, the agent took a deep breath, “so, the evidence is dodgy, at best, but we had to question her, because it all pointed in her direction. However, I already suspected a frame job, and after questioning her? My suspicions were confirmed. Someone wants her out of the picture.”

“So, we'll be protecting her, right?” David asked.

“Yes,” Elliot nodded, “and the nephew as well. The mother tried to claim him early this morning, but her history, and the court order against her prevented that.”

“But the father has passed,” Robin said, “shouldn't that have nullified the court order? Granted, she would still have a bit of red tape, but with no appointed custody-”

“Not when she's a suspect in several other cases,” Elliot said, “some are older, but over the past couple weeks, her name has cropped up on their watch lists.”

“What the devil is this woman up to?” Killian asked. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma has a mini-breakdown, Walsh is found, and a lead is followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient!

The hunt for Walsh (and the two other cars he'd put in Emma's name) was on. By the end of the day, no stone was left unturned. Walsh however, had managed to continue eluding them.

Defeated, he returned home to his wife. (She made everything better.)

After getting everything settled, Killian and Emma spent a good part of their evening combing through her credit report.

“I don't even understand how he got enough information to even do this to me,” she complained. “I never even let him stay the night!” 

“He's a thief, love,” he reminded her, “they have their ways. We'll fix it. The report's been made, and we're getting everything figured out...it'll be okay.” He put down his pen, and wrapped his arm around her.

“I'm sorry...” She mumbled, then she started crying.

“Hey now,” he said gently, “none of that. It's not your fault, sweetheart.” It was unlike her to cry over the silly things, but with everything out of whack, and the amount of crap being thrown their way lately, she was unpredictable. “Why don't we call it a night?” He suggested. When she nodded, he stood up, and lifted her out of her chair. Normally, she'd protest being carried around, but today, she didn't say anything.

He brought her into their room, and set her on the bed. “Let's get you into something more comfortable.” He went and grabbed some pajamas from the dresser, then returned to her, and helped her dress.

It was concerning, how compliant she was. As if all the fight had left her. Normally, she'd complain, and insist she was perfectly capable of getting ready for bed on her own.

“Would you like to put those ice cubes you call toes on my legs?” He teased as he undressed and got under the covers, hoping the idea of torturing him would lighten her mood.

She smiled, and joined him, giggling when he winced at the contact. “My own personal heating system,” she said, snuggling close to him. “Thank you...for everything.”

He wasn't sure why she felt the need to thank him, especially for everything. “If anything, love, I should be the one thanking you for everything.” He gave her a quick kiss when she looked up to question him. “You _do_ put up with me, darling. We both know that's no easy task.”

“Putting up with me isn't easy either,” she reminded him. “Maybe we're just both crazy.”

“Or gluttons for punishment,” he suggested, “but it certainly makes life interesting, doesn't it?”

“I really am sorry about the mess...” She whispered.

“He's the one who did wrong,” he said, “and he'll be the one to answer for it.”

***

Walsh answered for something, but Killian was pretty sure it wasn't identity theft. The call had come in early that morning, stating that one of the cars had been found. Less than an hour later, the team was on site.

The old Cadillac was in horrid condition, but other than the fact that it seemed to have just appeared on the side of the road, nothing was out of the ordinary.

“One car down,” David sighed.

“Aye,” Killian nodded.

The car was unlocked, so after a sweep for any kind of booby traps, Robin opened the driver side door. “Let's see if we can't find something.”

“The trunk was good, right?” Killian asked.

“Yes,” Robin said, “shall I pop it?”

Killian nodded, and went to the rear of the vehicle, waiting for the trunk to pop. When it finally clicked open, he lifted it up, and stepped back when he saw the crumpled body inside. “Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“What?” David rushed back, followed by Robin.

He could only assume it was Walsh, bound, gagged, and left for dead.

“He's alive!” Robin observed when the man wriggled his hands a bit.

David spun around, and grabbed the nearest passing agent, “medical, now.” The young man nodded, and immediately stopped what he was doing to call.

“We can't leave him like this,” Robin said.

His friend was right, as much as he hated to admit it. Personally, Killian would have loved to leave the sorry arse as he was until medical help arrived, but, leaving a victim to suffer was frowned upon. Even if said victim was also a suspect.

Carefully, they cut the ropes and helped him out of the trunk. The man could barely stand, so they sat him down on the ground, leaning him against the car. His voice was weak, but he still tried talking.

“Keep it shut, mate,” Killian warned, “we haven't even gone over your rights.”

“I'm under arrest?” He asked, “but I'm a victim!” Someone in the general vicinity snickered. Well...the guy did sound pretty hoarse...

Killian rolled his eyes, “right.” David shot him a warning glance, telling him he needed to shut up too. He stepped away from the situation the second David confirmed that the guy was indeed, Walsh.

Robin followed him, and he knew it was because his friend knew him all too well. “Listen,” Robin said, “I know you want to punch this guy-”

“I’m fine, mate,” Killian said through gritted teeth, “the sooner we get him behind bars, the better.”

“He may not be involved…” Robin said, ignoring the fact that Killian was glaring. “I just mean, he was locked in the trunk…there could be more to the story than we think.”

Medical assistance showed up just in time.

Realistically, Walsh was fine, maybe a little stiff from being bound up the way he was, maybe a bit dehydrated, but fine. Still, the sooner he was taken to the hospital, the sooner he was out of Killian's line of sight.

After Walsh was carted away, and they found nothing of use in the car, the trio headed back to the office. As soon as Walsh was cleared, he'd be coming straight to the interrogation room. Killian wasn't allowed anywhere near the guy.

Or Emma.

Mary Margaret called him in a panic. Agents had come to the house and taken her away. Not two minutes after the phone call ended, Elliott strolled into the office.

Killian snapped.

If it weren't for David and Robin grabbing him after he vaulted over the desk, Elliott would have been on the floor. “You've got no reason to bring her in!” He shouted, “what the hell is your problem?”

“I'm doing my job, Jones,” Elliott shot back, “unlike you! I could have your ass for obstruction of justice. When were you going to say something about your wife owning half of Oz's business?”

“That's what this is about?” David asked, “because it's pretty clear he used her information illegally.”

“That's not what he's saying,” Elliott stated, “and we're obligated to follow up on everything.”

“You stay away from her, you pompus ass!”

“What the hell is going on in here?” Ruby asked as she walked into the room.

“Jones is trying to cover up his wife's involvement in this case,” Elliott stated. “It is curious, isn't it? Not only is Emma's name all over Walsh's business and property, your brother is dating the victim's sister. The same sister who had no love for her parents...”

“Tread carefully,” Killian growled, “you're trying to connect dots that aren't even there simply because of some ridiculous vendetta you have against me. I'm warning you right now, stay away from my family.” Damn, the guy was lucky David and Robin were able to hold him back.

“Or what?” Elliott taunted.

“Enough!” Ruby shouted, “Elliott, back off. Go do whatever it is you have to do.” She waited until he'd left the room before turning to Killian, “she'll be fine. This is Emma we're talking about.”

But he couldn't even go comfort her. That was the thing that killed him. “can someone make sure he doesn't railroad her?” He asked.

“He shouldn't even be questioning her,” Robin stated, “I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.” He let go of Killian, and went towards the interrogation rooms.

That took care of that problem, now there was only one thing left to do. Quinn may have been too young to process anything, but Caleb was probably frightened. Then, his other two would be coming home from school to a panicked Mary Margaret, and no mom to be found. He needed to be there for them. “I need to go see the kids,” he said, “Henry and Addie will be coming home soon-”

“Go,” David said, “we can handle it from here.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma deals with a round of questioning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone, for being so patient! Some real life drama and school stress has cropped up, and the last couple weeks have been fairly brutal. I had to take a step back. So, updates will be coming much slower, but I'm hoping to get them on at least a weekly schedule. Also...did I mention I've booked my flight and hotel for Steveston next month? A good place to clear my head! I made sure to go during a time when no one will be there. (Hopefully!)

Emma wasn't sure what to think when a team of agents came to her home to retrieve her. She did her best to keep the situation from escalating, but Caleb's cries for her as they carted her away broke her heart.

Whatever it was, it had to be a misunderstanding, but Elliott seemed almost overjoyed to bring her in. His usual antics of riling up her husband had definitely gone to the next level, and while she wanted nothing more than to call him out on it, she knew that now was not the time.

Robin had found her and assured her he'd keep an eye on things since Killian wasn't allowed to be around her. That brought her a little comfort. Even if Elliott did manage to pull strings so he could be the one to question her, Robin wouldn't let it get out of hand.

There was nothing to be afraid of, she'd done nothing wrong, but she couldn't help but worry. Sure, they hadn't hauled her out with cuffs, but they _did_ take her. Her youngest son was obviously distraught, and now she was worried about how the oldest two would fare when they returned home.

“Emma,” Robin poked his head back in, “they're sending Jack in to question, but I think Elliott is observing.” Her heart sank a little. Jack was a good agent, but Elliott being present still made her wary. “Killian also asked me to tell you that he's gone home to take care of the kids.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

Minutes after he left, Agent Jacqueline Sprout came into the room.

“Mind telling me what this is about?” Emma asked.

“Emma,” Jack sighed, “this isn't personal.”

“Elliott sure seemed to think it was personal,” she said, “was it really necessary to have four agents come to my house like that? All you had to do was call, I would have come in.”

“I wasn't in charge of that,” Jack assured her, “but I do need to talk to you. Your name has come up a lot in connection with Walsh Oz.”

Oh god, she should have known. “Well, what do you want to know?”

A couple hours, and way too many questions later, and Emma was done. Not only did she basically retell the story of her awful relationship with Walsh, she had to explain her name being all over everything, and how she wound up with half a business without even knowing.

Because someone had to show up and sign for the loans.

Which led to her having to provide writing samples, so they could check her signature against the one on all the various documents that she was tethered to.

“Jack,” she heard Robin's voice, “we may have something.”

It sounded both promising and terrible at the same time, but moments after Jack left, she returned.

The woman didn't say anything at first, but looked highly annoyed. When she finally spoke up, her tone confirmed what Emma had guessed. She was pissed. “I can't say anything,” she said, “you know that.”

“But you can tell me whether I'm free to go or not, right?” Emma asked.

“Of course you're free to go,” she said, “and be sure to kick Elliot in the ass on your way out.”

Emma giggled at the statement. Whatever had Jack pissed off at Elliot must have been good. If it was case related, (and it probably was) she'd be hearing about it at home.

***

Emma walked into the house, followed by David and Robin. Killian handed Quinn over to his brother, and ran over, practically bowling her over in the process.

“Stop,” she giggled as he peppered her cheeks with kisses. “Don't get all mushy on me, Jones.”

“I'm sorry,” he hugged her tightly, “If I'd known, I would have been here before that bastard ever had a chance to come near you.”

“I'm fine,” she said, “and none of this is your fault.” David had told her about the confrontation after she'd been brought in. Somehow, she knew Killian would try and blame himself, but that was the last thing she wanted him to do. It wasn't as if he had any control over the situation. “We both know Elliott-”

“Just because he's pissed off that you married me instead of giving him another chance is no excuse for his behavior,” Killian stated. “It's been three years.”

He had a point. Elliott had been trying to rekindle things when she'd met Killian. The agent seemed to have it in his head that things would have worked out had Emma not met the widowed sailor, even though, there was no truth to that at all. “He's jealous,” she reminded him. Everything he did was mostly to annoy Killian.

“I certainly hope he doesn't think his antics are going to win you over,” he grumbled.

“I think it's just trying to get a rise out of you,” she said, “but forget about him. Everything is fine now.”

He gave her one last kiss before letting her go. “Come on love, Mary Margaret made some dinner for us.”

“Can I see Caleb first?” She asked. He'd been present for everything...she had to know he was okay.

“He's with Henry and Addie,” Liam supplied. Emma thanked him, went over to give Quinn a quick kiss, then went off in search of her other three. (It wasn't that difficult...she could hear them playing video games from the hallway.)

“Momma!” Caleb exclaimed, hands stretched out as he toddled quickly towards her. She knelt down and pulled him into a tight hug. Seconds later, the other two joined in, smothering her with hugs and kisses.

“Hey,” she giggled, “I'm okay.”

“We missed you,” Adelaide informed her, as if it weren't obvious.

Emma's heart broke a little after hearing her daughter's confession. She had been away a lot. Between Quinn's birth, her impromptu hospital stay, and now being ripped away from her home unexpectedly, it was no wonder the kids noticed her absence. “I'm here,” she said softly.

“Why don't you give your mother a little room to breathe?” Killian asked as he stepped into the room.

“Not too much though,” Emma countered. She wanted to keep all of her kids close right now. Killian helped her up, then lifted the youngest into his arms, and she frowned. The fact that she couldn't lift her own son at the moment killed her, and she did little to hide that particular hurt. (Especially now, when he seemed to need her most.)

“Mary Margaret has dinner on the table,” he informed the other two. Once they were gone, he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “What's wrong, love?”

“Later,” she gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile, then tickled Caleb's tummy. “I just want to be with my family right now. I'll be okay.” She could tell him all about her problems and the interview after everyone had left. At the moment, she just wanted to relax.

“Later,” he agreed with a nod.

“But if you three wanted to tell me what's going on with the case, I'd be more than happy to hear about it.” She teased. “We can also discuss ways to make Lance Elliott miserable.”

“There's the woman I married,” he grinned, “it's good to see the fight returning to you, sweetheart.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma gets information from the guys, mentions her suspicions about Elliott, and confides in Killian about her detainment. A surprise visit from Liam has Killian on edge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. Things are so darn slow lately! School is killer! I really meant to start having weekly updates, but it's difficult with some of these classes. Plus, now NaNoWriMo is upon us, and taking a major priority at the moment.

It didn't take much persuasion to get her boys to start spilling the beans. Elliott had jumped at the chance to make Killian miserable, and in doing so, he failed to see one piece of evidence that would have cleared Emma without question.   
  
“In his defense,” Robin chuckled as they informed Emma of the fake identification Zelena had used, “the man is a bloody moron. Thick skull, that one.”  
  
“Funny,” Emma sighed, “but I think the problem is the fact that he _isn’t_ an idiot. The guy is a good agent, and always gets his man. I know his judgement when it comes to Killian can be iffy-”  
  
“Iffy?” Killian interrupted, “the man gets off on finding ways to make my life hell.”  
  
“There's something else going on,” Emma stated. Before Killian could say anything, she held her hand up, “I'm not defending him. But think about it. Before all this nonsense, he didn't do much more than throw around snide remarks. And you're not blameless Killian. You didn't just fight back, you threw a few low blows in yourself.” She watched his expression change as he recalled the start of the ongoing feud between him and Elliott. “Things escalated, and they escalated quickly. Elliott can be a blowhard, but this isn't him.”  
  
“She's right,” David chimed in, “I've worked with the guy for a long time, something isn't right.”  
  
Emma took Killian's hand and gave it a squeeze, smiling when he looked over at her. The smile he gave her didn't quite reach his eyes, but she didn't see annoyance or betrayal in them, she saw worry. If something was wrong with one of their agents, especially one with a vendetta, they might have even more problems ahead of them.   
  
“It's getting late,” Mary Margaret said, giving David a pointed look that Emma didn't miss. Her friend looked as if he were about to protest, she'd expect nothing less from him, especially with such a big case brewing, but he seemed to understand the message. They didn't want to stress Emma out any more than they had to. She appreciated that. As much as she wanted to play a part in solving the mystery, she was still recovering.   
  
Not long after everyone had said their goodbyes, Emma and Killian tucked the kids into bed. Quinn started fussing, and Emma tried not to laugh when Killian rushed over to retrieve her.   
  
Every one of their kids had dad wrapped around their little fingers. It was adorable really. “She’ll live, you know,” Emma teased, “they can cry for a couple minutes without consequence.”  
  
“You would really leave her to cry for a couple minutes?” He teased back.   
  
“I'm not as fast as you right now,” she reminded him, “moving at the speed of light to get to a crying baby isn't a possibility at the moment. Plus, she was barely fussing. You had at least thirty seconds before she progressed to full on wails.”  
  
He chuckled as he sat down on the bed, still gently rocking the infant in his arms. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked.   
  
“You know why I was brought in,” she said as she settled on her side of the bed. Turning on her side, she watched and waited as he set the baby between them before lying down himself. As soon as he turned To face her, she continued. “Jack questioned me. Mostly it was just a rehash of everything I told you.”  
  
She didn't want to revive the pain she'd felt earlier, but Caleb's cries for her were permanently burned into her memory. It wasn't until she felt Killian brushing the tears from her cheek that she realized she was crying. “It's over,” he said, “and we both know that Elliott is going to have to answer for what he did.” While Elliott and Killian had always had some animosity between them, this kind of attack wouldn't go unnoticed. Once again, the strange feeling she had about the recent, and very quick escalation, washed over her.   
  
“They didn't haul me out in cuffs,” she said quietly, “but they _did_ cause a commotion. Caleb was confused and upset, and there was nothing I could do about it because they were taking me away. And I didn't even really understand why. I mean...I know we had all that crap going on with Walsh, but the way they came in, it was as if I'd actually done something wrong.”  
  
“That was Elliott's doing,” Killian growled.  
  
“It's over,” she reminded him, “remember?”  
  
“Aye,” he agreed.  


* * *

 

When Emma woke the next morning, Killian was startled awake by her panic. “Killian!” She shook him, “move!”  
  
“What?” He grumbled, took one look at the clock, (was it really only two?) and attempted to pull her back into his arms, “'s early... Back to sleep, love.”  
  
That earned him a hard smack to the chest, “you're squishing the baby!”  
  
When he laughed, she hit him again, “I'm not squishing anyone,” he said, “but you'll wake her if you keep carrying on.”   
  
“She was between us-”  
  
“Until you fell asleep,” he said, “then I moved her over to her bassinet. She started fussing about an hour ago, so I took care of her, then she drifted off again.” He didn’t have to see her face to know that she was upset about not hearing the baby. “I’m closer,” he stopped her before she could even complain, “so I heard her, and decided you’d had enough of a day already, and it would just be easier for me to handle it.”  
  
“How did I wind up with a perfect husband?” She asked as she drifted off again.  
  
“I’m far from perfect, love…” he kissed her forehead, then pulled her close before falling back asleep.  
  
By the time the sound of the alarm woke him, he’d been up three more times trying to keep Quinn happy so Emma could rest a little more. Somehow, he managed to not wake her, even though she was determined to stay cuddled right up next to him each and every time he returned to bed.   
  
“Alarm…” she muttered, seemingly waking and coming out of a daze.  
  
“Aye,” he said, finally coming to and smacking the “off” button. “Why don’t you just sit tight, love?” She didn’t seem all too ready to wake up yet, and he was guessing it was probably due to the medication she was still taking. It worried him, even though it really hadn’t been all too long. But he couldn’t help but wonder when the pain would let up a bit. He didn't want to bother her when he knew she needed the rest, and he also knew that Mary Margaret and Regina would let him know if anything was off, but it still didn't make him feel any less uneasy. Finally, he pulled himself away from her side, reminding himself that everyone was keeping an eye on her, and no one was going to let even the slightest odd thing go unnoticed. She was fine, she _would_ be fine, and everything was okay.   
  
After showering and getting the kids up and ready for school, he heard a knock on the door. It was just about time for Mary Margaret and Regina to show up, so he didn’t hesitate to rush over to answer it. Just as he was about to inform them that Emma and the baby were still sleeping the morning away, he was met by Liam.  
  
“Brother?” He ushered Liam in, his older brother looking fairly distraught. “What is it?”   
  
“Lily,” Liam managed to choke out, “she’s missing.”  
  
Something was very _not right_ about the situation. “Sit down,” Killian said, “try to relax, and let’s start from the beginning.” 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily and Cameron are returned safe and sound thanks to someone Killian is still suspicious of. Elliott confides in Killian about his recent behavior.

Killian made a quick call to the office, stating he'd be late, and that he had an update for them. Then, he returned to Liam. His brother was on the brink of tears, which was highly unusual for him. “What happened?” He asked. 

“I called,” Liam answered, “she didn't pick up. We had plans this morning to take Cameron out to breakfast-”

“Cameron was with her?” That changed everything. When Liam nodded, Killian knew there was no time to lose. “Let's go, brother.”

“But what about Emma?” Liam asked.

“Mary Margaret and Regina will be here in-” when he swung open the front door, both women were there, Regina ready to knock. “We have to go,” Killian said, “Emma's sleeping, baby's sleeping...do you think one of you could drop off the kids? I won't be able to stop this morning.” 

“I'm on it,” Regina stated, “get out of here.”

Killian drove like a bat out of hell, getting to the office in record time. He'd already called ahead, and by the time he arrived, the search was already in full swing. “I've got Liam,” robin said, steering the man towards an interview room. He wasn't sure there was much more information Liam could give, but maybe they could help keep him calm.

“You're with me,” David informed him. Immediately, he ushered Killian out of the office and to their car. On the way to the command post he explained what was going on. “All of Norfolk has their eyes peeled, as well as the surrounding area. He won't get far.”

“I'm not certain he'll need to go far for what he's planning,” Killian sighed. This looked bad, and for all he knew, they were already too late. “We were supposed to protect them, Dave.” If anything happened to them...

“The agents tasked with the job,” David sighed, “they didn't make it...”

“Bloody hell...”

“Elliott is missing,” David continued, “whether he's involved or not remains to be seen, but it's suspicious.”

“Aye,” Killian nodded, “Emma did say he had been acting strange.”

They went over the strange case, but couldn't figure out what kind of connection Elliott could possibly have in any of this. David's phone rang, and he didn't seem too happy with the way the conversation was going. "Everything all right, mate?" 

"Not even close," David groaned, "Walsh just turned up dead."

"Bloody hell." The one guy who most likely had all the answers was gone. "Any connection with Zelena?" It was obvious after they found Zelena's fake ID in the finance paperwork that she and Walsh were definitely in cahoots. Now that  was dead, Killian couldn't help but wonder how much the beady eyed creep actually knew. 

"We've been tailing her," David said, "so we know she didn't just waltz in over and do him in. Apparently, it was a complete overkill, just like the Pages."

"We need to find Lily and Cameron," Killian stated. The sense of urgency was a given. He didn't want to think about what would happen if they were too late. That was when David's phone rang again, and before he knew it, the car was screeching as his friend turned it around. "What the-"

"Elliott!" David shouted, "he's got them!" He explained as they sped back to headquarters. Elliott had shown up with Lily and Cameron. The two victims were unharmed, but their rescuer wasn't in great shape. 

* * *

Killian knew his brother was in good hands with Robin, and with the return of Lily and Cameron, Liam likely didn't need comfort at the moment. David went to talk to Jack, who had been the first to see the trio, and Killian went straight for Elliott. What he found was a bunch of EMTs surrounding the guy. It was fairly obvious they were getting ready to haul him off, but the agent stopped them when he caught sight of Killian.

"Jones!" He waved him down, and Killian walked over. In all honesty, he wanted to kill the guy for the trouble he'd caused, but then, he'd also rescued their victims. 

"You'll be fine," he said, attempting to keep his cool. 

"I couldn't let them hurt them," Elliott said, "Arthur...he's in on all of this..."

"Arthur who?" Killian asked. 

"Some thug Emma stopped a few years back," he said, "he managed to get out of prison, and now he's working with Zelena. He killed the Pages. I didn't realize it was all connected until it was too late."

"What are you going on about?" He was trying to make sense of everything, and the paramedics seemed pretty content to continue getting in the way. 

"Arthur Knight," he said, "before I started working at NCIS...before I met Emma, I was in the Navy. Knight was my buddy for a long time. Then, we had this big blowout over a woman. I got out, he stayed in. We went our separate ways. It's a long story. Obviously, something went really wrong for him, and he turned to a life of crime."

"We have to go now," one paramedic said. Killian walked with them as they wheeled Elliott out of the office. 

"What happened?"

"He got out of prison, and wanted revenge. Emma and I were on the team that caught him, so he targeted us. He's been holding my Gwen captive, threatening to kill her unless I did his bidding."

" _Your_ Gwen? Why were you continuing to flirt with _my_ Emma?" 

They began loading him up in the ambulance, but Killian couldn't let the conversation end. He let David know he'd be staying with Elliott at the hospital. After all, the guy was a target. He needed protection. 

"I couldn't make it look like anything had changed," he said. He went on to explain that Gwen was the girl who had caused the rift between him and Arthur, and that she'd actually wound up marrying Arthur. He didn't go into details, but Killian figured Lance and Emma had gotten together not long after Arthur had been captured. "After Emma ended things...Gwen and I tried to patch things up...but it never really panned out..." Killian waited for more, and Elliott looked so ashamed, that he didn't push, and he let the man take his time. "Arthur wanted his revenge on Emma, but I would never hurt her. All that crap I started pulling not too long ago, was to make it look like I was attempting to carry out his plans while I tried to find a way to save Gwen. He wanted to break her before taking care of her... I stalled as long as I could. I know I should have said something, but he said if I tried to get any law enforcement involved, that he'd not only kill Gwen, but he'd...go after you and the kids."

A sinking feeling hit Killian. He'd left Emma home with Mary Margaret and Regina. If Elliott pulled this stunt out of actual nobility, and not as some sort of trick, Arthur was likely pissed. "How did you find out he was connected?"

"Yesterday," he said. "You guys must have been a hell of a lot closer than you thought, even with the dead ends. Zelena must have been putting the pressure on him, because he insisted I get Emma out of the way, or he'd go in and take care of it himself. That's why I put on the big show for that flimsy evidence. I had to keep everyone safe and get her out of the way at the same time." Elliott sighed, "I screwed up big time...and Gwen is probably going to pay the price."

Killian shot a rapid fire text to David, who assured him he'd get Emma and the kids to safety. He trusted his friend, but it wasn't good enough. "As soon as you're safely tucked away in that room-"

  
He didn't have time to finish, as the ambulance came to a screeching halt. Gunfire outside told him that Arthur was probably coming after him first.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, I know it's been awhile! But we're winding down now. I am working on the next chapter, and hope to have this all wrapped up within the next few weeks!

Killian was in the thick of things in an instant. Staying in the ambulance was a sure fire way to get killed, but jumping out wouldn't be the best option either. “Bloody hell…” he muttered, knowing that he needed to do something, and fast. 

Just as he drew his weapon, the door opened. He quickly took aim at the intruder, only to find he'd lucked out. “Woah!” Ruby shouted, “watch where you point that thing!”

“How?” Killian asked.

“David saw you leaving with Elliott, and sent me and Jack after you,” she explained. “Figured we'd come in handy if you needed backup.”

“I think our driver’s down. Lance is a sitting duck-” he was cut short by the sound of sirens. Backup was coming.

“Arthur isn’t here, and there wasn’t exactly an army after you,” Jack stated as she joined them. “I’m pretty sure you were the distraction...for something.”

“Emma,” Killian shouted, “he’s going after Emma.”

“I’ll stay with Elliott,” Jack said, “we’ll get him to the hospital.”

Killian nodded in agreement. “We’ll send someone to help with guard duty,” he stated. Then, he and Ruby rushed back to headquarters.

It was a relief to find his family already there. Annoyed, but safe. Caleb was spinning around in David’s chair, likely the least irritated of the tribe. Henry and Adelaide looked completely bored, and Emma looked frazzled as she dealt with an extremely fussy Quinn.

Wait.

“Where are Regina and Mary Margaret?” Killian asked.

“They’re fine,” David assured him. “Robin took them into the conference room with Liam, Lily, and Cameron.”

“I wanted to wait for you,” Emma admitted, her eyes welling up with tears.

Killian wasted no time as he crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. He wondered how much David had told her. The fact that Emma was an agent meant that she knew firsthand the various dangerous situations they all faced. There was no way David could have kept much from her. “I’m here,” he assured her, his tone as calm as he could manage, despite the fact that he’d just been panicking mere minutes ago himself.

“Ruby and I are going to go back out,” David said, “we might have a lead on Arthur.”

“I’m going with you,” Killian insisted.

“No!” Emma shouted, startling herself with the sudden outburst.

He wanted to stay with her, reassure her that he'd stay safe until everything blew over, but he also knew that he couldn't. “Emma-”

“I know…” she sniffled, and he brushed the tears from her cheeks. He hated seeing her so upset, but he was grateful that she understood. “Just be careful.”

* * *

It all came down to two people. Arthur and Zelena. Killian was almost certain that Arthur was the hired gun, and Zelena, the mastermind. It made sense. Walsh had been sleezy, but seemed incapable of the level of carnage they'd found at the Page’s. 

“Walsh was nothing more than a place to park money,” David informed him as they sped towards what they hoped was an occupied hideout. “Apparently, he managed to screw everything up in a laundering scheme, and that's what got him killed.”

“We've managed to connect Arthur to Zelena in a similar way,” Ruby continued, “when you sent David the information on Arthur, we were able to find more accounts, and what looks like a payoff right around the time the Pages were killed.”

Killian frowned as he processed the information. All this time, Walsh was just a distraction. “What else have we missed?” he asked. “We were chasing Walsh down, and this Arthur guy had free reign to do whatever he pleased.” It bothered him, thinking that someone else could have gotten hurt while they were chasing a decoy.

“So far, we've got nothing on him,” David said, “nothing recent, anyway. Up until a few months ago, he was stewing in prison.”

Arthur wasn't a big time criminal, or anyone law enforcement was particularly concerned with. He'd gotten into some trouble, bit off more than he could chew, and wound up serving time for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme that got a little violent. After his release, he went quiet, seemingly compliant with his probation, and was deemed “no longer a threat.”

Apparently, his time in prison made him a little smarter, and a lot more violent. Had he really been plotting revenge all this time? He certainly learned how to cover his tracks well enough when it came to murder. Was he connected to Zelena from the start, or was she just a golden opportunity?

“Dave,” Killian could see the warehouse in the distance, and could hear on the radio that their backup was ready to go. “Elliott told me-”

“About Gwen?” David asked, “yeah...I figured with Arthur...she might be involved somehow.”

“What do you know about her?” Killian asked. All he’d really learned from Elliott was that Gwen was likely the start of his feud with Arthur, but what did that have to do with Emma? Other than her part in nabbing the crook over something completely unrelated-

“Gwen is probably leverage,” David said, “I don’t know how much Elliott told you, but I _do_ know that he’s been having problems with the whole situation.” He hesitated, and Killian knew that meant he was about to hear something he didn’t want to hear. “I know that he tried to move on…”

“With Emma,” Killian rolled his eyes, “I know. Could we just skip that part?” He knew Emma had a past, just as he did. There was no problem with knowing that they’d both had lives before. _Facing_ the past on a daily basis though, that was a trial, especially when said past wouldn’t be quiet about it.  “Look mate, I get that most of his antagonizing, especially as of late, has plenty to do with the situation he found himself in. But, you can’t deny that he was an arse from the beginning.”

“Okay,” David agreed, “I know he was a bit over the top when he found out you and Emma were together. But, come on, you were in on that rivalry too.”

“Just get to the part where Gwen comes in,” Killian demanded.

David sighed, “that’s a bit more complicated. I know she came back, and he turned her away. Apparently, she was still married at the time, and Elliott wasn’t sure if he was being toyed with or not. I know somewhere in the past two years she finally got a divorce, and they’d started seeing each other again, but it was touch and go. Aside from a few remarks I overheard between him and his partners, he wasn’t very vocal about it. I don’t know much more than that.”

“I heard Lance a couple weeks ago,” Ruby chimed in again, “he was talking to one of the other agents about how his girl had run off again, but that was really about it. He didn't mention anything about her ex, so I can only assume, if he's telling the truth now, that he kept that part quiet as part of whatever deal he and Arthur had.”

“This is bloody ridiculous,” Killian groaned.

David brought the car to a screeching halt near what looked to be an abandoned warehouse. “Was this where Lily and Cameron were?” Ruby asked. The three watched as special teams began to surround the place. Whatever the lead, they were certain Arthur, and maybe even Zelena were here.

“No,” David shook his head, “Arthur wouldn’t risk getting caught like that. They were across town, in another hideout. If we’re lucky, Arthur doesn’t even know we’re coming.”

“Well,” Ruby shrugged, “guess there’s only one way to find out.”

“They want us behind the special team,” David said, “come on-”

“Bloody hell!” Killian shouted when the passenger window shattered.

“Sniper!” David peeled away narrowly avoiding the next shot.

Killian watched as the team that had assembled, rushed for cover. “I’ll send word,” he said, “they’ll have the shooter down in no time.”

“In the meantime,” David said, “we need to circle around and find a way to help our guys out.”

While he drove, Killian kept watch, looking to see if he could find the shooter. That, coupled with his friend’s erratic driving, was making him nauseous. “Dave, we need to hurry, your driving is making me sick.”

  
“I don’t think it’s the driving,” Ruby gasped, “David, Killian’s been hit!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger, but Killian's got nothing to worry about. Promise!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian gets to the ER safely, but against his will. One visitor reminds him of why he needs to be careful, another reminds him that he's still pretty reckless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with me guys. I know it's been a long time coming. But everything is about to get wrapped up in the next chapter.

Killian looked at his now ruined jacket and cursed. The wound seemed bad enough to cause Ruby to panic, but he realized quickly, that he didn't have a bullet in his arm.

“I'm fine,” he tried to assure them. There was a lot of blood, and that was likely the reason he was feeling dizzy, but a quick patch up would fix everything. He covered the wound with his other hand in an attempt to slow the bleeding, then started to look for the bullet. It didn't take long to discover it had gone through the glove compartment. “Found our bullet,” he said, “and I'm fairly certain all that garbage Dave shoves into the glove compartment saved us from having to walk home.”

“They're going after the sniper,” David said, ignoring Killian's dig. “Apparently they found his location pretty quickly. I've been told to get Killian to the hospital before we rejoin the team though.”

“Absolutely not!” Killian protested.

“Emma is going to kill you,” Ruby said. He was pretty sure that if he turned to look at her, he'd catch her rolling her eyes. “You and I both know that she's already going to be mad about you getting shot, but she'll be even angrier if you pass out from blood loss.”

“Ruby’s right,” David agreed. “Look, I get it. It's getting personal, but right now, you're more of a liability than a help.”

Killian groaned, but he knew his friends were right. The hospital wasn't far, but even some minor stitches would take some time, so he knew he wouldn't be going back out today. “You have to keep me updated,” he pleaded. David was right, it was personal. Between Walsh stealing Emma’s identity, and Arthur plotting revenge, the case had gone from a gruesome murder, to a gruesome murder with an extra vendetta.

“I swear,” Ruby snorted, “you and Emma are two peas in a pod.”

He rolled his eyes, though he didn't protest further. David attempted to appease him by taking his earpiece out, and turning his radio up. However, chatter from the scene put Killian even more on edge. They'd found the sniper, and had taken him out just in time for everything to circle even further down the drain.

The warehouse exploded. Luckily, no one on site was harmed, and after a thorough check, they found no secondary devices, and no occupants.

That only meant one thing, the warehouse was a setup. For what, Killian didn't know, but he was damn determined to find out.

“Dave-”

“Nope,” David pulled in front of the ER, and stopped the car before Killian could protest further.

Killian knew there was no other option, he had to get medical attention. Even if he could function just fine, Emma would murder him if she found out he’d gotten hurt, and then acted carelessly. David would have made sure she found out too.

Once he was taken in, David made him promise he wouldn’t leave. He and Ruby promised to keep him updated, and that they’d return for him. Killian almost complained about safety, but realized that with all the agents catering to Elliott, and keeping guard, he couldn’t use that excuse. No, Killian was stuck, and wasn’t going anywhere until David deemed it safe to do so. Lying down so he didn’t pass out at this point was his only option.

It was aggravating, listening to the doctor babble on about blood loss, and how Killian was lucky. It was just his damn arm, and he already had a pretty good idea of how lucky they’d all been. Had the bullet hit anything vital in the car, the three of them would have been sitting ducks for the sniper.

But now, he was here, getting stitched up, and his friends were out there, fighting. The doctor who had patched him up was telling him he needed to sit tight while they made sure everything else was okay.

“Killian!”

He groaned. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate his wife rushing down here, it was just that...she was in danger, and the last thing she needed to worry about was his sorry ass.

“Emma…” he tried to sit up, but found himself slightly woozy from the sudden movement. “You shouldn’t be here, love.”

“I’m fine,” she said, taking his hand. “Robin brought me, and this place has more agents than the office on a Monday.”

He laughed at that, and gave her hand a little squeeze, “there’s nothing to worry about…wait...where are the children?”

“At headquarters,” Emma informed him, “Mary Margaret and Regina are looking after them. I had to make sure you were okay.” As if she read his mind, she leaned over and kissed his forehead, “they don’t know what happened, so they aren’t worried. We can explain it once everything’s okay, and you’re home.”

Lying to their children was something he didn’t believe in. He and Emma never wanted to be anything less than honest with them. They knew their parents had dangerous jobs, but they also knew that Killian and Emma would do whatever it took to come home to them. “What did you tell them?”

“I told them that you were at the hospital, but that you were okay,” she said, “and honestly, I didn’t have very much information other than that. David’s message came in a rush. A few agents dragged in Zelena right after he called, and it sounded like they had a location for Arthur.” When he gave her a curious look, she giggled, “they told me what happened when they came to pick us up from the house, and that Arthur was in the picture.”

“The warehouse?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” she shook her head, “all my info was coming from Robin...whatever he could get to me. After David called…” she started to cry, and he knew the answer. After David called, she was too preoccupied worrying about him to worry about whether or not they were being targeted. “I can’t lose you, Killian…”

Her words were weak, and she sounded so broken, that it shattered his heart. “I’m okay,” he reminded her, “and I’m right here.” When she didn't respond, he tugged on her hand, and scooted over as far as the tiny space allowed. “Come here.”

Emma giggled a little as she laid down next to him. They tried to find the best way to fit comfortably together. Once they were situated, she held onto him so tightly, that he felt she might still be afraid of losing him. Wincing a little, he wrapped his free (and newly stitched up) arm around her, and rubbed her back. Words wouldn't do any good right now, Emma needed a physical reminder that he wasn't going anywhere.

The quiet moment was interrupted by Robin, who rushed in, doctor at his side. “We need to get back to headquarters.” There was a sense of urgency in his tone, and while Killian was sure they were safe, something was going on. Emma got up, and moved out of the way. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, but the smirk on her face said she was feeling better.

The doctor protested, stating that Killian still needed rest, but Robin’s frustration had already transferred over. “I'm fine, mate,” Killian insisted. He tried to ignore the wave of nausea that hit when he sat up a bit too fast, and hoped he did an okay job at hiding the dizziness. Once again, the doctor insisted he stay, but Killian demanded a discharge. He looked over at Emma, who rolled her eyes at him. She was visibly annoyed, but her silence on the matter was a good sign. She wasn't going to tell him to listen to the doctor.

Reluctantly, the doctor discharged Killian. Once the man was out of the room, Robin and Emma moved to help him. He quickly waved Emma off, not wanting her to injure herself, and insisted Robin could do the grunt work.

Upon standing, he faltered a bit, but Robin quickly wrapped an arm around him, and hoisted him back up. “Had a bit too much to drink, mate?” he teased.

“Very funny,” Killian rolled his eyes.

The trip back to headquarters wasn't a long one, and Killian spent most of it being doted on by Emma. Not that he was going to complain. Robin didn't say much, other than they'd found Zelena trying to make a break for it. Arthur wasn't far behind, trying to cover his tracks, but Gwen had managed to escape, causing him to stop and search for her. Apparently, he didn't want to leave without her.

“So what was at the warehouse?” Killian asked once they'd made it to the office. He felt stronger now, and was able to stand upright without feeling dizzy, but he was still slow on his feet.

“They were trying to throw us off,” Robin said, “like they did when they made it seem like they went after you to keep us from realizing they were only distracting us while they went after Emma.”

“So why is it so important he come back now, when he should be at the hospital?” Emma snapped. He flinched, but the ire wasn't directed at him.

“Because David said we didn't want to miss this,” Robin insisted.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up, and planning an epilogue. :)

Emma clung tightly to Killian as they followed Robin to find David. She knew it was silly, but she wasn’t ready to let him go just yet. When she’d first gotten word that he was in the hospital, she panicked. She knew she shouldn’t have gone barrelling in there, but she couldn’t help it. She needed to see for herself that he was okay. 

David met them in the hall outside the interrogation rooms. Judging by the grin on his face, he either had good news, something hilarious happened...or both. 

“I can’t let either of you in to question them,” David explained, leading them to one of their observation rooms. She could tell Killian was about to protest, but was immediately silenced, “you’re still swaying. Do you really think you’ll be effective in an interrogation?” He grumbled, but didn’t argue. “You can watch on the closed circuit system,” David continued, a smirk on his face.

“What’s so funny?” Emma asked.

“Just watch.” David said as he left the room.

Killian turned up the volume on the screen that showed who he believed to be Arthur. “We’ve already heard from Zelena,” he shrugged, “perhaps we should start with Arthur.” 

Finding out Arthur was involved had surprised Emma. Last she heard, he was finishing up his sentence, but there wasn’t a peep since. When Robin informed her of the newest development, everything that had been going on with Elliott suddenly made sense. 

“I’ve never met that bloody witch!” Arthur’s voice rang out, bringing her back to the present. “Now, if you’ll stop trying to get me to confess to something I didn’t do-”

“He’s mad!” Zelena’s voice was piercing, and Emma jumped, not realizing the second television had been turned up.

“Sorry, love,” Killian made a face, “I wanted to see what she had to say after all.”

They listened for a bit as Robin and David questioned Arthur and Zelena. Arthur continued to deny even knowing Zelena, and Zelena was insistent of her innocence, claiming Arthur had something against her, and was trying to pin his crimes on her.

If it weren’t such a serious situation, it would be comical. “I don’t understand,” Emma said as she listened to the two argue, almost as if they were in the same room, and not completely unaware that the other was right next door.

Jack was next to join them in the room. “Ruby said you’d be in here,” she said. Killian turned the volume down a bit, Arthur and Zelena’s bickering now a dull murmur, and Jack continued. “Evidence is mounting. Payoffs, prior scandals, and kidnappings…” she frowned, “we found Gwen-”

“Gwen?” Emma asked. She knew about the woman, someone from Elliott’s past. There was no doubt that he was absolutely in love with her, but as far as Emma knew, they had split when she wouldn’t leave… “Arthur… I should have guessed that if Arthur was involved, and Elliott was hurt, that Gwen had to be in the middle somehow. Is she okay?”

“At the hospital,” Jack said, “pretty banged up. Looks like she put up several fights during her imprisonment.But It didn't sound like Arthur was her captor at all....”

“Arthur was using Gwen as leverage against Elliott...and Zelena was using her as leverage against Arthur?” Killian asked. He turned the volume up again, but both suspects had been left in solitude for the time being. 

David and Robin returned to the viewing room, followed closely by Ruby, who had a manilla folder that looked as if it were filled to capacity. “The evidence against both of them is getting more solid by the minute,” David said, “so...we don’t need a confession, and their time for making deals is done.”

“May I?” Killian gestured towards the folder Ruby was carrying. She raised an eyebrow, but handed it over without a fight. 

Emma looked over Killian’s shoulder (mostly to see what he was looking at, partly to annoy him) as he spread the files across the small table. He was silent for a moment, save for the quiet growl he gave, signaling he was irritated. Emma giggled quietly in his ear.

“Bloody hell, Swan,” Killian snapped, “give a man some space!”

“I forgot what a joy it was to work with the both of you,” Ruby quipped.

Emma backed off, and Killian shot her a dirty look. She only grinned, and he finally shook his head and rolled his eyes before turning back to the papers. Emma joined him again, even though she technically wasn't on the case, and saw reports from several different agencies. “When did this all come in?” She asked.

“A lot of it, we had,” Ruby explained, “when we first started going after Zelena, we discovered a lot of suspicious activity that may have been tied to her. Of course, there was no solid proof, but now, with Walsh dead…”

“They were able to get hands on more of his records,” Killian finished, “and what of Arthur?”

“He's been clean since he got out prison. According to his parole officer, he's been a model citizen. Not so much as a parking ticket.” Robin stated, “but I think Zelena made him an offer her couldn't refuse.”

“Okay,” Emma interrupted, “you're telling me that a man who went to prison for heinous, but non-violent crimes, suddenly started brutally murdering people because Zelena made him an offer?”

“Crazy what one will do for love,” Killian mused, “or in this case, obsession. I'm wagering the offer included Gwen?”

“He won't outright say it,” Robin grumbled, “I'm not sure how much you heard-”

“Just the part where they were trying to throw one another under the bus,” Emma laughed. 

Robin nodded, “right. Arthur is claiming a frame job, and Zelena is denying ever knowing Arthur at all. But we have proof that Arthur has received money from both Walsh, and Zelena, so…”

Emma thumbed through the reports with Killian. They all had one thing in common, Zelena as a suspect, but no solid proof to really tie her to anything. They were from various agencies around the state, but even with their similarities, there was really nothing to connect the dots with. Until NCIS started digging deeper. “Do you think Arthur and Walsh are tied into these other cases as well?”

“It's highly likely,” David said, “but that's for their agencies to sort out. Right now, we've just gotten word that the lab has pulled some pretty damning evidence from our most recent murder. He wasn't as careful this time around.”

That's how they knew it was Arthur. It still didn't make any sense. When they first had a run in with him, he was dangerous, for sure, because he had people, but he specialized in embezzlement. Not exactly a precursor to murder. 

“The Page murder was an act of revenge,” Killian said, “she was tired of losing to her ex. So, she paid Arthur to do the job, and Walsh… for what?”

“More coverups,” David guessed, “and then, when she discovered we were on to him, he became a liability.”

“A guy can't spill the beans if he's dead,” Emma said, “but he still left a trail. Something she failed to realize.”

David sighed, “it's a mess, and makes hardly any sense. I guess Zelena wanted to keep her hands from getting dirty...that explains the muscle...and the motivation to keep her hired help from backing out.”

“I really think she assumed that she could get her son based on the fact that she was the only parent left,” Robin added, “despite the fact that court orders kept her from him.”

“But why?” Killian asked, remembering that first interview they’d had with her. She didn’t seem even slightly interested in the well being of her child. All his friends could offer, were shrugs. Zelena wasn’t talking, so they’d probably never have their answer. 

The good part was, that Lily was working hard to get full custody of her nephew, and Liam was doing all he could to help them both. Knowing that Cameron would be safe and loved was more than a relief.

“There’s going to be a lot of paperwork, and probably even more testifying on top of it all,” David said, “but these two are going to prison.”

 


End file.
